


Shattered Reflections

by Kiangoru



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hans Redemption (Disney), Kristanna, Multi, Post-Frozen (2013), Redemption, Second Chances, helsa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 115,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22542835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiangoru/pseuds/Kiangoru
Summary: Prince Hans is a mirror at heart, but wishes to shatter his reflections and correct his past mistakes. He returns to Arendelle, willingly surrendering himself to Queen Elsa's judgement. Uncovering truths, unforeseen circumstances and a bit of je ne sais quoi, bring the Ice Queen and the Mirror Prince together in a way neither of them would have imagined.[Helsa RP - Turned FanFic]
Relationships: Anna & Elsa & Hans & Kristoff (Disney), Anna & Elsa (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Hans (Disney)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 82





	1. Double Jeopardy

**Author's Note:**

> (( This is a collaborative RP Fic written by lovely fellow Helsa shipper FOW and myself. We RP for fun and just wanted wanted to share this story with fellow shippers, especially all my lovely shipper buddies over in the Helsa Discord Server. Long live the Province of Helsa! Thank you, Beta Reader Friends, your help is much appreciated. Hope you enjoy~ ))

He refused to mention what had brought him back. In fact, for the most part, he outright refused to speak.

Hans stepped into the throne room with shackles on his wrists, standing tall regardless, and walking without a fight with the Arendelle guards. His ship had been flying the Southern Isles flag, but the other crew members on his boat claimed no affiliation, and gladly handed over both Hans and his horse. Hans was stripped of his sword and a journal he kept on him, with half the pages torn out and the other half blank, but otherwise nothing suspicious was found on him. He entered the room in his warmer blue coat with the motif after the waves reminding all that he was a man of the Isles, and he was an Admiral as well -or at least had been, once-. He had said nothing the entire way, only doing as the guards asked, and coming in without a fight to meet the Queen for sentencing. His expression remained neutral, as if he were elsewhere entirely. It couldn't be further from the truth, but very little of him spoke truths.

"Your Highness, we've brought in that Prince from the Isles. The ship was quick to give him and his horse up, and claimed no affiliation with him. We've told them to stay where they are until released but didn't see fit to bring them in." The Captain of the Guard explained. "He had half a journal, a pen, and a sword with him, and put up no argument to us taking him in. No argument or word about anything so far, actually." The Guard couldn't help but glance back with an irritable look toward Hans, clearly he would rather have had him hanged than keep him in Arendelle, at least then he wouldn't be more concerned about the safety of the Queen. As much as the guards valued human life, they valued their Queen staying alive more than the life of a man who attempted to kill them. One could hardly blame them. Hans just watched impassively, waiting to be addressed.

Even with the warning of the unauthorized ship (flying the Southern Isles Flag) approaching _her_ fjord, it had not prepared her enough for _his_ entrance. She thought the chances of the ship actually carrying _him_ would be quite slim, since she thought the Isles wouldn't be foolish enough to strain their relationship further than the state it was left in, after the fiasco with their 13th Prince. Even with the slim chance, the unannounced vessel was still strange and made her extra cautious, she ordered the Guard to go investigate and to be ready for _anything_.

She really thought she would never have to lay her eyes on the auburn haired Prince ever again, so when he actually entered the throne room accompanied by the Guard her heart sank into my stomach, and almost forgot how to breathe. She was overrun with emotions, but _anger_ was at the forefront of all of them. As the men approached her right hand clenched into a fist over her lap, her long fingernails burying themselves into her palm. She had regained the ability to breath as the men stopped in front of her, she was trying her hardest to keep her breath steady. She looked at the Prince straight in the eyes as the Captain explained, anger was boiling inside her but determined not to show it, she was Queen and she had to keep her composure no matter what (especially knowing what negative feelings did to her powers). Even if she wished to lash out at him, she believed if she gave him any kind emotional response, even if that emotion was anger, it would show him weakness and that was something she was NOT willing to show _him_ and _especially_ not in front of her Guard.

As the Captain finished explaining, Elsa closed her eyes for a long second, accompanied by deep breath for composure, she was determined to remain regal.

"Thank You, Captain,"she said with a nod, as she turned to look at him.

Elsa's piercing blue eyes turned back to the emerald ones of the cuffed man in front of her. She fought to keep her eyes from narrowing more into a glare.

She raised her chin up high.

She carefully contemplated the words she'd use before even parting her lips to speak.

"Prince Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles," the name felt _vile_ as it rolled off her tongue for time for the first time, but had managed to say it in a neutral tone, instead of the venomous one she wished she could spew. "What game do you think your playing returning to Arendelle like this?"

Hans seemed to think just as much about his response, as if this were a game of chess and it was his move.

"No games, per se." His finally speaking almost startled the guards, especially since he hadn't spoken yet. "Perhaps a very distinct lack of games, in fact. A lot of truth was missed, I am here to provide if asked. Elsewise, I am simply here. Dungeon filler or, perhaps, for the noose. Whatever pleases her Majesty. I would only ask that my horse be treated well. I only brought him for the companionship on aboard the ship. The men aboard the ship were only hired to carry me and put the flag up, wouldn't want to appear without warning." He made a clear effort to keep his voice and posture entirely neutral. No coronation charm or wit, no smooth manipulations via expressions. He was working at neutrality in its totality.

"My apologies for having carried a sword, It is only a cheap copy, it would break swiftly and isn't sharp. In the Isles it's traditional for a man to carry one, but not common to break one. it's purely decoration. For traditional gestures and the like. Such as the traditional gesture of surrender." He held up his hands to remind all in sundry that he had immediately surrendered himself.

'Provide if asked?' what would she or Arendelle ever need from _him_ she thought as he spoke. Dungeon? Noose? Horse? Surrender? There were so many times that she wished to interrupt him as he spoke, to ask more questions, but she did her Queenly duty and listened to the end.

She knew why he was here (at least what he wanted her to believe), but she still didn't quite understand the _how_ yet. She had given him back to the Isles so that they would deal with him as _they_ saw fit, she doubted that they allow the man that had tarnished their reputation with _her_ kingdom to return just like that. He must have surely escaped.

So out of all questions brewing in her head after what he had told her, the biggest question, the one that'd been floating in her head since before he'd spoken had yet to be answered, so she asked:

"Does the Isles know you're here Prince Hans?"

Hans considered the question. "They are aware that I am not on the Isles. I didn't inform them where I was going. I am a man of the sea, being on a boat is not unusual for me. I was advised against it, but I will accept whatever Arendelle throws my way, and the Isles remains unrelated. This is purely me acting on my own behalf. Had I not been who I am, I'd have been hanged in the isles, but I was stripped of my admiralty and am a prince in name only." He assured. He seemed aware he was speaking too much, and stopped, waiting for her response.

" _Prince_ Hans, I thought it was very clear that I already made my decision regarding your _treason_ ," Her tone more callous then she would have liked. "The Isles would do to you as they saw fit and it seems they have done that stripping you of your title, so I don't see why you insisted on returning to Arendelle in such a spectacle."

She had no desire of dealing _then_ and she strongly wished not to be dealing with him _now_. His mere presence shook her to her core, and she didn't even want to think of her beloved younger sister Anna crossing paths with this man again.

Her patience was wearing thin, and her powers continued raging inside her from the moment she laid eyes on him. Even now with Elsa having more control over her powers (her fingertips no longer accidentally freezing everything), her discomfort with the green-eyed man standing before her had turned the Throne room air frigid, almost cold enough to see her breath as she exhaled.

Hans was silent for a long moment. He seemed to be searching for his words, and for once was at a loss.

"I will ask a question..." He said quietly.

"If I _had_ kissed Anna and it had failed, if I had been the perfect fiancee, if I hadn't gotten involved beyond delivering blankets. What would have happened?" He seemed genuinely uncertain.

"Anna always spoke as if it was _her_ fault things happened. But then when she came back, it was 'Elsa struck me with her powers', suddenly, you were the villain of this story. 'True love's kiss' was what she believed in, but no matter what my intentions were, and they _were_ good intentions initially, I knew it wouldn't work. Kiss or no, she'd have been dead just the same, so I made sure she couldn't blame herself again." Hans seemed genuinely pained to admit it.

He put his hands up and cringed back a little. "It sounds bad, and it is. My lack of love is not excused. But I am not a fool, your Majesty. The line of the crown doesn't work the way I pretended. I was never under that delusion. But it was easier to hate a treasoner, than to let you be the villain. Had I stayed out of it- Where would you have been? Out on the fjord, your sister dead and you wishing you were? My intentions in marriage were never bad. What they were, however, is... no longer important." He almost seemed to break his neutrality, but he quickly forced it back onto his face.

"I will not insult you with lies. I am, at heart, a mirror. I reflect others, either as they are or as they need to see. I change with my company. I have to be careful when I want to avoid that. I have no desire to lie to you further." Yet, that still didn't explain why he was there, did it? Or was it that simple desire to explain the truth?

He was afraid to continue speaking. He spoke too much already. He felt useless. A burden again. He would wait until spoken to, he supposed. He had no desire to incur her wrath.

His question had caught her off guard. Elsa's hands began to tremble as he spoke. A knot began forming on her throat.

Even if his 'good' intentions were a lie, there was truth in his words that stung her. It was true that he had not given his sister a true love's kiss and left her locked in a room to die, but he was right the person to blame for Anna's predicament was none other than _herself_. She was the one to have struck her beloved sister with a _frozen heart_ , even if it was by accident.

Elsa could feel a stinging in her eyes. Hans was right, had Anna Frozen that day she truly would have been the _villain_ , killing the sole person she swore to protect. He was also right that had that happened she would no longer have the will to live.

Hans truly was a mirror because the question he had risen were all fears she kept locked deep within her heart. And now that those fears had been exposed out loud by him, it made her heart sink, threatening tears to her eyes. She hated that his words had such an effect on her, she had been fuming with anger moments ago and now overwhelming heartache was thrown into the mix.

Her breath was unsteady, the large lump in her throat making it harder to breathe.

She moved her hands to the arms of the chair to support herself and keep them steady from the shaking.

She opened her mouth to speak, but felt her words lost and lodged in her throat. There was a long moment of silence. Elsa took a deep sigh trying to find her voice again. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even know what question she was supposed to answer, so she asked her own question instead.

Her mouth was dry, but she managed to regain her voice even if was meeker than before.

" Are you trying to make believe that you made yourself some sort a _sacrificial pawn_?"

Hans shrugged a bit, and nodded. "Nobody died. It was the best of all possible outcomes, though unexpected. I was simply hoping that anger would overshadow sorrow. The fact that nobody died was an unexpectedly wonderful outcome." Yet his face and tone remained entirely neutral, because he was still doing his best to put a sheet over the mirror, to hide the reflections and stop his imitating.

"I fully expected to hang for my crimes, and I was not afraid of that. Sailors, you know, are very good with knots and ropes." He looked at his hands and fidgeted, pretending to be very interested in the gesture. The truth of it was implied, but he wouldn't say it out loud.

"My initial intentions were simply... to not be in the Isles. I don't like my home country. If I married, I thought I would have a good reason to avoid it. And there was Anna, desperate to give and receive love, feeling like she had never been listened to. So I listened, and gave attention. I'm good at giving people what they want to see. I hoped that in time I would learn to love, I didn't expect it to be so necessary so quickly. But, mirrored emotions feel like real ones. My enthusiastic proposal wasn't pre-planned. If it was, I'd have brought a ring, or at least given her my signet ring from the Isles. There was a brief period that I considered that, but then the fjord froze and we had other, more pressing matters. If I truly wanted to take over Arendelle, I'd have brought a host of land soldiers. A crown can only be taken by military might, but that was never my plan. Not really. It was so easy to believe, though, wasn't it? I'm a very good actor. Sometimes I almost fool myself." He seemed lost in his own thoughts even as he spoke.

"I _do_ apologize for upsetting you so. I won't ask for forgiveness, though. I don't believe I deserve that." A bit of personality leaked into his apology, and he stopped, raising a hand to his mouth and quell the mimicry. Still, the apology read in his eyes.

She wasn't expecting an apology especially one NOT followed by pleas for forgiveness.

Elsa was uncertain whether to take his words as fact or fiction created in order to doubt his villainy, the only thing she was certain of was that he was _indeed a good actor_.

Yet those _eyes_ , his green gleaming eyes, always made her want to believe in his sincerity, since they seemed to be the only part of him that truly reflected himself.

She brought her right hand across her face holding her temples for a brief moment, before also accidentally letting out a deep sigh.

She finally spoke again this time more firmly than the last. "Frankly, Prince Hans...I'm uncertain if I can take _any_ of your words as _truth_ against your actions during my coronation," she paused. "I can not determine whether or not you are trying to deceive me and Arendelle once again." she pursed her lips. "I do believe the best course of action is to have you returned to the Southern Isles."

Hans faltered, and shifted on the spot. He seemed visibly uncomfortable, but he also seemed hesitant to speak. He wasn't neutral, but he didn't seem to notice that. If anything, it read as anxiety and uncertainty.

"I suppose I don't know what I expected." He admitted quietly, and offered a polite bow.

"As her Majesty decrees." He assured, unwilling to argue. But after a moment, he smiled a little, a dry and humorless joke at his own expense.

"Everyone worried about your icy heart, or the affliction of Anna's. But it was _mine_ that caused everything, if unwillingly. Is that poetic irony?" He pushed his sense of humor back down, though it was perhaps a struggle.

"Perhaps someday I'll find a way to atone, and write to you. Would you read the letters?" But he offered his hands back to the guards. He didn't expect her to answer that question. He was ready to be taken away. He wished it had gone another way, but he had been wishing that from the start, and wishes were no currency of use in his world.

"Wait," Elsa let slip out. His mention of letters, had brought her mind to the journal the Captain of the Guard had mentioned Hans possessed upon his arrival. She had put it out of mind, too preoccupied with the man's mere presence to question it, when he arrived, but now it piqued her curiosity. "Captain, you mentioned the Prince had a journal on him when you detained him, correct? I would like to examine it myself," She didn't know why she asked for his belongings now, but maybe there was something to them the guards had missed.

"His sword also." She wanted to make sure it was truly a prop like he stated.

The Guard and Hans both seemed perplexed, but both shrugged, and the Guard send up one of his men with the items.

As had been claimed, the journal was a leatherbound book, half the pages torn out, and the other half blank. Some semblance of old letters could be seen on close examination, suggesting that it was written in before, but it was difficult to make out what any of them would have been. It appeared to be a perfectly ordinary journal, whatever the case, with little but a few stray ink drips of note.

The sword was also more or less as described. It could be removed from its scabbard, and it could look very much like a sword, but it rattled with shaken even slightly, the hilt wobbled, and one could see the shoddy patches of steel. While there was heft, the thing barely seemed ready to support its own weight, and the edge was near too dull to cut a mild cheese. Only the hilt looked good, and even that had tarnish from the sea spray.

"In the Isles tradition, that sword belongs to you. I've surrendered it in apology for its unjust use. I will not have another sword unless gifted back by Arendelle, which I don't expect to happen. The Isles is known for its grim humor, and its love of swords in ceremony." Hans provided, like an encyclopedia, though he didn't sound like his forced neutrality. It was hard to say what tone he _did_ have. Wistfulness? Faraway thoughtfulness? Perhaps fondness, but not for the sword. And certainly not for the Isles, by the way he spoke of them.

Elsa had tried to remain serious though out the interrogation of 13th Prince, but there was something about this silly surrender sword that almost made her laugh. Especially when he said that wobbly thing belonged to her now. She covered mouth with her hand to hide her amusement, but quickly coughed and regained her composure.

Nothing much was gained from the examination of his belongings other than a slight slip of humor and a question.

"You said you no longer desired to lie to me, may I ask what was in the torn pages?"

He noticed the humor and smiled grimly. "It's a shade better I suppose than presenting the shards from the bottom of the fjord, if they could be found." For the cheap copy was only meant as a ceremonial stand-in for the real thing, which Hans had broken in the events of Arendelle.

He thought about his answer a moment. "It's a journal, it depends on how far back. I might have written about Arendelle in the earlier pages, the interest in visiting. Daily notes about my travels, thoughts and feelings. I kept up on it while... returned to the Isles," There was an odd way he phrased that, and a slight flick of his eyes suggesting he didn't want to go into what his return was like. "The latest pages were mostly worry about my ill-fated adventure here. It is my custom to write my thoughts and feelings in my journal, then immediately burn the pages as I finish writing them, so no-one can read them. There is very little privacy in the Isles, between nosy maids, a mother who wants to be involved in everyone else's business, and twelve brothers who just love to pick on younger siblings. I quickly learned that anything worth thinking is worth keeping to oneself. I've learned to guard my tongue and silence my footsteps no matter where I go."

He paused to think a moment. "Have you ever placed a mirror in front of a mirror, and stood between the two? The result is an endless hallway, moving forever onward until the path becomes too curved or too dark to see. Mirrors in front of mirrors are a strange thing, and echoes of mirrors just as cursed. I try to avoid mirrors and echoes where I can. The irony is that I love the sea, where the water is an infinite mirror where sound always echoes. ...I'm sorry, you didn't ask, I can't imagine my waxing poetic to be interesting."

It was quite the contrary actually, though Elsa wouldn't admit to the Prince. In his moment of waxing poetry she was certain she could see his true self trying to seep out, and she was curious to see more of it.

With a deep sigh Elsa took a long moment to stop and just process everything that had happened in the throne room thus far.

Against her better judgement of returning him back to the Southern Isles, as she initially decreed, another idea crossed her mind.

"I know I've said the best course of action was to return you to the Southern Isles," she paused for a moment, questioning if she should continue with this outlandish idea. "...I have a proposition for you, if you wish to accept, you will be allowed asylum in Arendelle, in the Dungeon, of course, but it's the best I can offer."

Elsa got off her throne with his journal in hand. She stood an arms length away from him and looked him straight eyes.

"If you continue to write your thoughts and feelings like in this journal," she raised the journal high in her hand. "and allow me to read it, then I grant you permission to stay."

Elsa wasn't sure what'd come over her to grant Hans another chance. Maybe it was the anxious look that crossed his face when she suggested returning him to the Isles. Could it have been because he truly did keep her from becoming the villain of her story? Maybe he was no sacrificial pawn, but he had stopped her up at the North Mountain. Or maybe she just wished to be a merciful Queen and allow even the 13th Prince an opportunity to atone for what he did. Whatever the reason, a second chance was offered nonetheless and whether or not he chose to take it was all up to him.

Hans seemed hopeful at the initial change, if surprised. He didn't bother to hide that. But when she held the journal and suggested she read his thoughts, he hesitated, and his hands curled in his shackles. Perhaps he hesitated a bit too long. He almost seemed to reconsider the Isles, in spite of claiming he hated it there. But slowly, his hand uncurled again, and he opened it, offering to take the journal back again.

"I owe you that much. I accept your gracious offer, your Majesty." He gave a slight bow, but seemed perplexed, perhaps uncertain. No doubt his journals would be as guarded as his tongue- but he occasionally did have those moments of waxing poetic. Maybe some of his personality would slip through.

His expression slowly turned to a poorly-hidden wry smile.

"Just remember, your Majesty. I'm a sailor. Not _everything_ I write may be suitable for a lady's eyes." He did have a sense of humor, even if he tried to hide it sometimes. He certainly knew his colorful language, and who said he didn't use it from time to time?

Elsa rolled her eyes at his comment, maybe she was starting to regret her decision already, but what was done was done.


	2. Burn After Reading

Hans accepted the journal and his return to the dungeons without complaint, always polite. He was right: He never made a sound when he walked. He moved as silent as a shadow, but for the clink of his chains, which even then were quiet.

Given enough pen and ink, he proved to be a voracious writer. It helped that he had nothing better to do with his time, but he certainly took more time in getting his words down. He had to choose them carefully. He knew they could be used against him. For the moment, he wanted to stick to uninteresting topics. Just to test the waters. Yet, in spite of himself, his thoughts kept turning to his situation.

He never gave complaints. He rested without concern, and waited to see who would come for his letters.

Anna had NOT taken the news of the the 13th Prince's return to Adrendelle well, and far less knowing he was to be _staying_ in the kingdom, even if he was to remain in the dungeon. Anna wished to go pay him a visit in the dungeon, just to punch him in the face again, but was prohibited from doing so. She was relieved that Elsa was not wasn't planning to contact the Prince either (at least outside the required daily journals to her).

Anna asked her sister why she even allowed the Prince to return to their kingdom, but even Elsa didn't know the answer to that herself.

Hans seemed to remain entirely neutral in the presence of the messenger. He insisted on folding over his journal pages and putting a wax seal on them (or rather, a splot of wax from the candle he wrote by, with 'XIII' scratched into it) to send to Elsa.

Whether the seal remained intact or not, he supposed he had no control. Perhaps it was better if he didn't know.

'Please burn after reading.'

'It's much different, writing a journal or letter that you know someone will read. Every word weighed like ounces of gold and scale often checked for accuracy. When one flake can tip the balances of someone else's opinion.'

'That is the way by which I lived in the Isles. Words spoken have echoes through later conversations, everything comes back as a scathing remark, or nitpick. Some days the picks go so deep or come from so long ago, one questions if they had any merit at all, or if they are going mad. I much prefer the dungeons. Would you believe, they echo less in Arendelle.'

'I said I was a prince 'in name alone', in truth all that means is that I have access to the castle grounds. I have found that the castle dungeons and the castle rooms are equally grim, and each echo their secrets to all in sundry. Neither prisoners nor princes are allowed their secrets, apparently. My father and brother are both ill, and have been for many years. My family didn't want to cut me off from visiting them, even if I am a treasoner. At least, not after they decided not to hang me I suppose. That proposition was short-lived. They have seen too well that scene, and they have no desire to see it again.'

'How grim. The Isles has a grim sense of humor. Or maybe it's just my family. I should never know, I imagine. I would hope to be there when my father dies, great man as he is, but I can't expect that time of mourning to be respected. Better to have taken my chances here. But chances at what? I don't believe in any gods. I don't imagine there to be a soul for me to save. My own peace, perhaps, but that's selfish even for me. My own inner stupidity, perhaps.'

'A tolerable first entry, I suppose. Have a nice day, your Majesty. My sincerest apologies to Her Highness for being inflicted upon her vicinity again. The Princess is welcome to throw things. -Hans'

Hard to say of that last part was a joke. It was a meandering, but that was simply what one got, with a journal.

Elsa read over the letter multiple times. It was not what she had expected, but it had given her a glimpse into his life, even if it was minimal. She had asked him for his thoughts and feelings, though she got more of the former rather than the latter.

The journal entry felt so stiff, but she thought since it was the first one that someone was reading it was understandable.

She read his request at the top of the page 'Please burn after reading'. She contemplated if she would fulfill his request, she had a candle at the ready, but she could not bring herself to burn it. Not yet at least, instead she folded the letter back up and placed it in her desk drawer under lock and key.

The next was sent with the same 'seal' as the first.

'Please burn after reading'

'Good morning, or whensoever you should read.'

'It would almost be easier if these were letters to and from, but then I could not stop myself from afflicting some persona on you.'

'My mother is an actress, you see. A very good one, but that is all she is good at. Acting, and picking one apart like a carrion bird. I have memorized Macbeth, and say the cursed play's name without fear, knowing I am more cursed than it could hope to be. For every character, an act. _"For all the world's a stage and its people merely players,"_ writes the Bard. It must be nice to not have to pretend, to be content. To not have to pretend to be content.' The repetition was no typo, nothing was crossed out or uncertain there.

'And yet, it all feels real at the time. It always does, no matter if the decision is conscious. Broken mirrors are unlucky, and I am by trade unlucky. But there are some things I would never admit to feeling, and some things I simply feel I cannot.'

'I have often wondered how Her Highness feels so much all at once. The Princess seems so full of life. Never take her to the Isles, it would be a shame to drain that charming nature. I wish this could have been avoided so to never temper her enthusiasm with jaded realities. But alas, Reality is a bastard.'

'Wishing you well,

-Hans'

So the Queen was actress? That was something Elsa had not known. She had studied much of the Southern Isles after the coronation, but much like information on Arendelle during the closing of the Gates, there was not much it (at least regarding the Royals).

Now she knew where Hans got his acting skills from.

There was so much dejection in his words, that it almost made her feel sorrow herself.

She wondered if he really incapable of feeling or if was another charade of his. If Anna was truly right that he had a _frozen heart_.

Again as she did with the previous letter, instead of setting it ablaze, she set it in her drawer with the other under lock and key.

She had pondered whether to have made his punishment writing letters rather than journals, but decided against it. She really shouldn't be writing letters to him, no matter how curious she was to get questions answered. She chose journaling because it was more informal and open for him to write the thoughts and feelings she requested, since it seemed to have been the way avidly written in his confiscated journal.

Though she should have realized upon her request that he probably wouldn't be as open to her as he was to himself and there was no way of knowing if what he wrote was truly himself or just another persona he hid behind.

The next letter was a trifle less organized. Still, however, with its carved seal.

_'Please burn after reading.'_

_'Good whenever, Your Majesty. Assuming you read these at all. That sounds rather like a greek punishment, writing letters to one who never reads them. Although, it sounds a bit like a religion, too, doesn't it? Ah well. Philosophy is the act of asking a thousand questions and debating about answers none will ever have.'_ What an opener.

_'I had thought this story to be one I and my crew had made up in a collective fever, utter nonsense brought upon by unfamiliar waters and frayed nerves. Reflecting on Arendelle, however, I think perhaps it may have been entirely real.'_

_'Once upon a time, I and my crew met Sirens.'_

_'We were on the Conch Cat, my ship, as a captain some years ago, shortly before my admiralty. I have since kept the Conch Cat, though it now likely has a new captain, in light of my removal from the Navy. That stung worse than any sentence for treason, but I digress...'_

_' We had traveled some way through a storm somewhere in the Pacific, and that storm was hellacious. It threatened to rip the mast down even with the sails pulled up, but as we sailed on, soon it halted. As if someone had snuffed a candle, it had gone, replaced with a fog so thick that one could not see the forward bow from the stern. We could only drift slowly and pray that both fog and storm relented before we found somewhere to become a shipwreck, but the fog was, at least, peaceful. Some minutes into our silent crawl across the water, we began to hear ringing laughter and singing. We could all of us understand the language we heard, but the voices sounded foreign- indescribably so. They sang a familiar song, about a woman missing her sailor fiancée. '_

_'My heart is pierced by cupid,'_

_'I disdain all glittering gold,'_

_'There is nothing can console me'_

_'But my jolly sailor bold.'_

_'We looked into the water, and found there a woman, with lily-white skin and long waving hair under the water, graceful as any fish, and with a silvery tail of shimmering scales in our amber lamplight. It was bizarre and curious, so of course every man leant to see (and likely, a part of that being that she wore no scrap of cloth, but mine was a purely scientific curiosity, if you'll believe it).'_

_'There was more than one, but it was one with long raven hair that I could best see from my position. Every man listened to their singing, and each looking over the sides, before I alone realized what was happening.'_

_'I called to the men to get back to their posts, and barely managed to grab the helmsman and drag him back by his collar, before one of the sirens leapt up to try and grab him. He still has scratches on the side of his face (that he swears to others were from a jealous lover). I recall that one having ringlets of red-gold hair, though I caught only a glance as she tried to nab him. Men jumped back from the sides, some grabbing others, and returned to their posts. I, however, remained curious. Why had they not affected me so much as they had affected the men? Some men had to be tied to rails, why should I be different? So I ventured forward again with a lantern, foolish as I am.'_

_'Your heart is pierced by cupid'_

_'If a man may be so bold,'_

_'But I have nothing for you,'_

_'For mine is beating cold.'_

_'They did not care for this addition, and our Barrelman managed to pull_ _ **me**_ _back this time.'_

_'I ordered my men to pull the sails down and speed through the fog, damn the consequences and the mast as well, so we did. Someone launched a canon, it sounded as if it hit rocks but we had seen none. We survived the sirens, fog and storm with shredded sails but an intact mast by only the grace of any god listening, and escaped. We all drank ourselves to sleep that night, and spoke of it as a fiction the next day.'_

_'I think perhaps, after all, it was no fiction. But I only tell the story to men of the sea, who are used to a little fabrication and strange stories. I never tell it as a fact, but it is. Who would believe? I'm glad to tell it as a truth to someone."_

_'My best to you, always; -Hans'_

His writing was less elegant than it had been the day before, with perhaps some scratching-out and scribbling that was uncharacteristic of his writing. The handwriting seemed less tight and controlled, the writing less thought-through. The send-off seemed almost careless in both its words and its handwriting. There was a curious section near the header of seemingly aimless hatch marks, to no real purpose. He just seemed a little less controlled and rigid than before. And perhaps, his topic of choice was stranger than usual. Getting a thought out that he would seemingly never otherwise have shared.

Elsa tapped her pen against her desk. His opener doubting whether she even read his journals made her want to send him a note of reassurance of her readership, now she was debating whether that was the right course of action or not.

His sea story though different than his previous entries, had piqued her interest. The tale of Sirens only a myth to some, but to her it read so real, for she knows Trolls are real and even her own powers were something that would seem like fiction to someone that hadn't witnessed them with their own eyes. The possibility of more Magic out there made her wonder if there was someone out there who's a little bit like her in the great unknown. Yet the sirens weren't the only thing that caught her attention in this letter, his lyrics of the song stood out to her

_'Your heart is pierced by cupid'_

_'If a man may be so bold,'_

_'But I have nothing for you,'_

_'For mine is beating cold.'_

It was mention of a _frozen heart_ yet again.

A blank piece of paper sitting in front of her as she continued tapping her pen.

How would she even address him, even in a simple note? She kept hovering her pen over the paper ready to start writing, but pulling away as her mind went blank yet again.

Maybe she need not tell him, but show him that she read his words. Without much of a second thought at the center of the page she wrote:

' I believe.'

Short and simple, but to the point. She folded the paper, like he did his and now it was time to seal. She placed the wax, but the Arendelle seal didn't seem right. She poured more wax and this time with her magic made a snowflake to replace it.

The note was done, now it was whether or not she would choose to send it.

She cleaned off her desk, placing his recent letter with the rest under lock and key. The note she just wrote in her hands, she played with the edges as she looked at her snowflake insignia. She was lost in her thoughts, when a knock at the door startled her.

"Your Majesty," The head guard seemed uncertain at first. "Your prisoner seems... off, today. He hasn't expressed any change in particular, he just seems off in a way I can't place, my instincts say something is wrong. Do you have any thoughts or direction? He also insists that he would like to wash his own clothes, but I consider that too dangerous, and frightfully curious for a previous prince." The head guard frowned. He had been doing his job for some years, but _something_ about all this felt wrong, and he couldn't quite say how. Something beyond the laundry.

Elsa sighed. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention Captain."

She had noticed a change in Hans in the way he had written the journal, but had not thought much of it, but now that the captain voiced his concern there was no ignoring that there was something definitely off with Hans today.

"I think I have to go see him myself, in order to decide a proper course of action." It was something she had not planned on doing, but she felt she had no choice now, she had allowed Hans to return so he was her responsibility.

She still had her note in hand as she stood up from her desk and walked towards the Captain.

The guard nodded. "Excellent plan, your Majesty. I will be there to maintain your safety." The Captain assured. That was what it always was, his job. But he took pride in it.


	3. Bear Your Burdens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Readers Discretion is Advised. There is mild mention of bodily harm from corporal punishment this chapter, it's nothing too graphic, but I thought I'd warn anyway, better to be safe. If the subject makes you uncomfortable please refrain from reading.))

Hans rested on his stomach on his bed, arms crossed under his chin and eyes closed. At the sound of approach, however, he pushed himself up slowly, with a bit of a stretch, and waited to be addressed. In the corner under his bed were his dirty clothes, the ones he wanted to wash for himself. "Her Majesty graces me with her presence? I wonder what I've done to deserve such an honor." He remarked idly, though he didn't seem to focus too immediately. He seemed tired. Perhaps a little flushed. _ **  
**_

Elsa thought she'd been prepared to face Hans again, but actually standing there in the dungeon, she realized she was not. The journals were one thing, but something about being in his presence again made her feel uneasy.

Yet it was not just Hans that had made her anxious, it was the dungeon itself as well. Elsa had not visited the dungeons since the coronation incident, and being back gave her a feeling of déjà vu, that made her chest compress and took her breath away. But maybe it was something more than the déjà vu that was making her restless.

It took her a moment to speak, after regaining enough air.

" The Captain told me you weren't acting like yourself today, " maybe those weren't the right words. "And that you wish to wash your own clothes? Which is a bit odd in and of itself."

Hans seemed to think about it. "Not like myself? Curious, that I should have a 'myself' to act like." He observed, seeming to find that by itself intriguing.

"I would like that, yes. The two questions may be related, but they are unfortunately tied to a secret I hold very dear. I would rather keep them to myself." He paused to think a moment. "Does the good Captain have any elder siblings?"

The Captain seemed perplexed, and looked to Elsa briefly, perplexed, before answering. "No, I do not."

"Ah, well. You aren't likely to understand, then. Nor would the Queen or her Highness, they are too close and too friendly. No, there are some lessons one, only learns with brothers, I think. But I suppose prisoners are not entitled to secrets. A shame." He looked between the two, but his gaze wavered somewhat. He seemed unfocused, and almost as if he had forgotten what he was saying, as he didn't continue to explain himself.

Elsa did not like secrets. Secrets were what had kept her away from her dear Anna for so many years.

Yes, she was curious of his secret, Yet she did not plan prying it out of him, if he had his reservations she was going to let him be, for his aloofness had worried her. The way he spoke of his brothers was so grim and it seemed to affect him deeply.

"You're right I don't understand," she paused. " I wish I could understand... but if you wish not to share your secret I will not force it from you."

Hans seemed deeply thoughtful a moment.

"Her Majesty is far too kind. And too gentle a soul for these things." He mused. His words seemed less carefully chosen, and his manner even less so.

"Too bad, I feel in a talkative mood. My secret is, you could stab me and my last intelligible words would be 'I am fine'. I'd sooner die than admit to being in pain in most cases. However, I rather don't like not being able to focus my eyes -or my tongue." He ignored his usual protocol and leaned over his bed again to lie on his stomach and seemingly ignored them. It was the most unlike himself that he had been.

"No, don't ask, you know how I'll answer. If you're so curious, call for a doctor and let him find out. Or let me die in peace with my dignity, whatever, I'm quite neutral on the subject. But it's all much too grim for a lady." He wouldn't tolerate any if this 'are you well' guff. He clearly -so far as he could tell- was not.

"I think he might _actually_ be dying." The Captain admitted. He never thought someone could be so blazè about the subject, but Hans was most certainly not himself at that moment.

"Yes, the Navy's opinion on treasoners is much different from the Isles' royal family. At least one has a spine." Hans mused, eyes closed on his folded-over pillow. He looked more like a large and lazy cat than a man in the dungeons.

Dying? He was dying? Elsa was frozen, she didn't know how else to react. Frost formed at her fingertips. Her breath lost yet again. It perturbed her, how he could seem so nonchalant about his own demise.

Yes, she had resentment towards _this_ man, for what he had done to her sister (more than what he had done to her), yet she did not wish him _dead_. She had wished never to lay eyes on him again, certainly, but by death, that was never how she wanted her wish to be fulfilled.

His return to Arendelle had made more sense to her now; he wanted to make amends before perishing. Having a dying man wait for his imminent death in the dungeon did not sit right with her.

So he had also been brutally punished by his navy. In her queenly studies she had read up on Naval Law and just remembering some of their harsh punishments she'd come across in her readings, made wince just thinking about them.

He was right her soul was too gentle, for she felt sorrow even for _this_ Accursed Prince.

She felt helpless, trapped inside her mind like she was once trapped inside her room, with the walls slowly closing in around her.

Still frozen, lost in the maze of her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the layer of ice she unconsciously created across the dungeon floor, and was now quickly creeping up the walls.

"Your Majesty, breathe." The Captain spoke gently, but knew better than to touch her in such a state. "If he's talking about what I suspect, a skilled doctor could yet help, but we'd want to get them quickly. Damn fool didn't think to tell us to change bandages." The Captain seemed somehow both annoyed and pitying.

"Didn't want to be a bother. I never do. Much easier to die than admit weakness. But..." Hans seemed to lose track of what he was saying. He perhaps noticed the cold and rolled a bit to lean his back against the wall where the frost crept.

The Captain's voice snapped her out of her trance. Breathe, she had to remember how to breathe. Her respiration was uneven as air started to fill her lungs again.

If there was a chance of saving him she was going to take it, even if protested against it. She had reached her limit listening to his self-depreciation, it started to exasperate her.

In her vexation she responded to his words a second thought.

" Weakness?" She huffed. "Just letting oneself _die_ is the ultimate form of weakness." She believed that, for in her weakest moment she had wished for death herself.

The frost continued to engulf the dungeon wall.

"I believe it takes real strength to admit pain and continue living."

Hans seemed to hardly be listening.

"Yes, I have heard that." He sounded unimpressed. But he seemed calmer.

"Your Majesty, I propose we call a doctor. Now." The Captain proposed, shifting warily. "The clothes- Hiding blood, I suspect." He didn't like what this sounded like. Hans seemed unlike himself. He shifted a bit. "I think it's his back. A bit _more_ ice might help stay conscious. Or at least to dampen the fever."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "Yes, please go call a doctor."

She stepped closer to Hans. She looked down at her hand and realized she still held the note wrote earlier and brought with her, she had a strange idea. The note was no damp rag, but thought it could work as a makeshift one, if she chilled it and placed on his forehead.

"I'll provide the ice, in the meantime."

The Captain hesitated a moment, but he nodded, deciding Hans wouldn't be a big problem as he fled from the scene to find a doctor.

Hans seemed to blink a bit, but he closed his eyes again. He was unreasonably warm.

"Too kind by far." He muttered, without much context. He didn't pull away, if anything, he relaxed somewhat.

"I didn't do this intentionally. 'Thought that had healed." He muttered.

Elsa was grateful that Hans had not been stubborn enough to protest her help. She had not touched him directly, but the heat emanating from his body even at the distance was worrisome.

She didn't respond to him, instead she took a deep breath and tried to control the flurry she created over his back. She was intently focused on creating a light frost over his shirt. Elsa had been extra cautious when her _ice powers_ touched someone, she did not want to risk what happened to Anna happen to anyone else.

Hans seemed more comfortable with the slight chill, really.

There was an odd smell closer to him. Bad, but unrecognizable without an expert there. It was on his old shirts, as well, but to a lesser extent, along with spots of blood in strange hatching patterns.

It didn't take long for a doctor to arrive with the guard, and a medical bag.

"Good afternoon, your Majesty." He bustled right in to get to work, sniffed the air, and wrinkled his nose. "Whatever it is, it's infected. Would you be opposed to him being moved to a more sterile environment?" He didn't even have to look at Hans to know it.

"You might not want to be here when the dressings come off. It could be a very upsetting sight. And smell. But your ice does help." He assured. "I see we have the Prince for a patient. Didn't know he was in Arendelle." The Doctor may have been slightly uneasy about that fact, but it didn't change that Hans was his patient, and he would do what he could.

The Doctor's bombardment of words barely gave her time to process them all.

" Not at all, feel free to transfer him, there are ample rooms you can use." There were many empty servant and guest rooms in the Arendelle Castle that were not in use, and hadn't been vacant for years. Elsa hesitated only for a brief moment, but looking back down at feverish fool in front of her, she found her resolve. " If _my ice_ can serve useful in any way, I'm willing to oblige."

The Doctor seemed uncertain, but gave a bit of a sigh and nodded. "The clearest room you have, and a cot, I'll need a lot of light, a lot of clean water, clear spirits. Got that? And somebody to help transfer him, he's clearly not in any walking condition." He spoke to the Captain of the guard, who nodded and went out to look.

"I've walked in worse." Hans muttered from his cot.

"Then congratulations on not dying, but if you get up I'm asking the Queen to ice you to that bed." The Doctor didn't even pause to snap at him. Hans couldn't help but smile a bit.

Hans muttered something about 'the best doctors' but he seemed only semi-conscious at best.

While the guard was off, the doctor knelt down and checked under Hans' collar to look at his back, prying him away from the wall. Hans didn't even seem to notice the intrusion on his personal space or the touch. The doctor drew air between his teeth in an expression of sympathy pain. "Well the good news is, it doesn't look like the infection will kill him today. He might've even lasted into tomorrow before being critical. The other good news is, he would be _very_ difficult to kill if he's lived this long. That or the Isles have better doctors."

It was not a Queen's duty to assist a doctor, Elsa was not bound by anything really, yet there she was regardless.

The Captain had sent a few of his men to help transfer Hans over from the dungeon to the new room. It was no easy feat, but it was done.

The Captain had found everything the Doctor required as quickly as possible and now they were almost done preparing for the Doctor to start working.

The time arrived shortly after, the Doctor carefully peeled off Hans shirt to uncover the secret he hid behind it. The Doctor had been right, it was a very unpleasant sight. Elsa had tried to mentally prepare herself, but it was far worse than she could have imagined. Her immediate response was to avert her gaze, it was too much for her to take in.

In the brief moment she had seen his back, she was overwhelmed with emotions. She shivered and could almost feel the ache upon her own back, that was probably nothing but an insignificant fraction of what he was actually feeling.

How long had he been living with these scars, if he said he thought they had healed already? He had arrived to Arendelle standing so tall, doing so well to hide his burden, that she never would have deduced it. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

The stench was nothing compared to the sight of his lacerations.

She felt herself freezing up again, but she couldn't allow herself that luxury, she had to snap out of it. She took a deep breath, reminding herself she had volunteered herself to be useful during the operation, not pity him. No amount of pity can help a dying man.

The wounds had, for the _most_ part, healed. The problem was, 'most' was not 'completely'. Some had kept their scabs and were yet still too fresh, and the rope-like scar tissue was nearly indistinguishable from an infection below the skin. The Doctor had to do what he could to discover all the lingering wounds, get rid of the pus, clean the wounds, and re-bandage. Antibiotics were given, of course, something to stop the damage. In spite of how bad it looked, and how bad the infections smelled, the process wasn't nearly as long or difficult as it appeared on the surface. That didn't change the doctor's perplexity as he finished up the surgery.

"I'll change the bandages twice daily and keep an eye on him. He should be up and chatting again in a day or two, once the fever breaks. The infection itself isn't as bad as the rest of it _looks,_ but the surprising thing is that he got that many lacerations to begin with. Generally one isn't supposed to _survive_ that many." It was true what Hans said, then. He would sooner die than show weakness, if he never mentioned that.

"Thank you, Doctor," Elsa said with a nod. The Doctor then walked himself out.

The room had been emptied out other then Hans and herself. She had lingered behind and gazed at him and at in his fresh bandages and winced again knowing what was concealed behind them. Elsa approached the bedside, she hovered her hand over him, the heat emanating from him had lessened from before, but was still intense.

Hans would have hated this, if he were conscious. To be seen injured, by so many. Unable to snap at them or reassure them he was fine. Now his secret was out, that he could hide discomfort and pain, so now he would have to be watched for anyone to be certain.

Yet, he _had_ told her, in his own way. The odd scratching on his note, reminiscent of the hash marks across his back; the admission of his secret in spite of her reassurance that he didn't need to tell, the way he argued with words, but didn't actually try to push anyone away. He tried not to be an inconvenience, but he accepted it when he was treated with care.

In spite of what pain they had caused him, he only ever spoke well of the Navy. So far as he was concerned, it seemed, he deserved them.

He sighed a little at the comfort of her natural chill around him. Ordinarily Hans enjoyed the warmth, but in this particular case, the chill helped him feel more at peace, and eased the pain.

It had been a long day for Elsa. What was supposed to be a simple verdict, had spiraled into a small frenzy. She was grateful the worst had passed, at least she hoped. She would not easily forget what transpired in that room.

She was ready to call it a day, when she heard the pitter-patter of someone running in the halls, it could only be one person, Anna.

"Elsa! Finally, it's been so quiet around here. The guards told me you were busy all day, what's on your mind?" She could tell Elsa was stressed, but since when was that new? Anna was always there to offer sisterly support- as long as Elsa would actually take it. Some days that seemed like a struggle.

Normally Elsa would indulge her younger sister with her chit-chat, but she really wasn't in the mood to talk. Instead she did something that she didn't generally do, and would definitely raise more questions from her, but she didn't care she needed it more than anything right now. Without saying a word Elsa wrapped her sister in a tight hug.

Anna knew that had to be bad. Like 'oh god who's dying' bad. She wrapped her sister up in her arms as much as she could and squeezed her tight.

"Okay, whatever it is, is pretty bad. Just tell me you're not dying and we can have some cocoa or something and... I dunno, sit quietly together?" Anna liked to chat to decompress, Elsa didn't. Elsa needed the decompressing. So if they needed to just bundle up in blankets in silence for a while, they could do that. In the meanwhile, lots of warm hugs -and a little bit of worrying from Anna.

"I promise, _I'm_ not dying Anna," Elsa said softly nuzzled in her sisters embrace. She let out a sigh. "I would love some chocolate."

"Alright. Girl time? Maybe we need to bundle up in bed with hot chocolate and talk. Or not talk. Whatever you need. You start bundling and I'll get the cocoa?" It wasn't about the warmth -obviously- but the blankets made for a nice calming weight. And they both loved chocolate.

"Yes, Thank you." Elsa gave her little sister one last squeeze before letting her go.

The two sisters had bundled up like promised, drinking hot chocolate in silence.

After a while, the silence was too much even for Elsa to bear.

"Anna..." she began but didn't know how to continue.

Anna perked up. She thrived on conversation, but she knew whatever was wrong had to be bothering Elsa like, a _lot._

"Whatever it is, I'm here for you." She assured, reaching over to rest a hand on Elsa's arm. She hoped that whatever it was, that everything would be okay.

She hadn't missed the emphasis from earlier, but she had a bad feeling about what Elsa meant when she said _'I'm_ not dying.' That meant someone was, right? Who? Not Kristoff, at least, she was spending a lot of time with him and he probably would have told her about that... right?

Elsa let out a soft involuntary groan. "I know." she answered reaching her other arm over to touch her sisters hand.

Elsa let out a deep sigh. "Today was just... a very hard day." She tried to give her sister a smile, but it was visibly forced.

Anna copied the look. She smiled, but she could see the strain and worry on Elsa.

"Do you want to tell me about it or not? You look like you're dying inside. Pick whichever is easier. Or have a little breakdown. It's okay." Anna offered her arms. What were sisters for, if not completely necessary familial cuddles?

Elsa was at the verge of tears, she took a deep breath to try to calm herself down. "... I saw something _very_ bad happen to someone..." her voice was quavery. "And it's really been affecting me." her breath staggered. "I wish I could tell you more, but it's really hard." she finished her voice cracked.

Anna set down her cocoa and shifted behind Elsa to hold her tight. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay. In _Arendelle_ something bad happened? You don't have to tell me right now if you can't, just feel how you need to feel for a bit, okay? It's okay." She stroked Elsa's hair and hoped for the best. Anything to make things a little more okay. Anna didn't know it, but she was the kind of person who did her damnedest to heal hearts and make things better.

Anna's embrace was so warm. Elsa readjusted in her arms. Elsa couldn't hold it in anymore and began to softly weep, letting all the sadness she had built up throughout the day. She felt safe in her younger sister's hold.

Anna almost flinched, she _never_ saw Elsa cry. But she held Elsa tight and hummed the lullaby their mother used, just to try and calm Elsa's spirits.

"It's okay, it's okay." She cooed between verses, and just let Elsa cry it out while she could. Whatever this was, it was clearly awful.

Everything her little sister did, helped to comfort her. The weeping had aided in easing her heavy heart. As her tears became subdued Elsa thanked her sister. She leaned her head against her and closed her eyes.

"It's okay." Anna assured again, continuing to pet Elsa's hair.

"Wow, whatever it was really affected you, huh? Are you feeling a little better?" She asked softly, just hoping to talk through some of her fears, if Elsa was up to it. Or she could rest. Whatever Elsa was ready for.

"Yes...Thank you Anna, for everything, " she said faintly. "... it's just, seeing someone hurt like _that_ was too much to bear."

"What was it? You seem so freaked out and... and _heartbroken._ Are you going to be okay? Are _they?"_

"I don't know if I- ...it's hard for me to say," Elsa sniffled. She shifted, rubbing her eyes with her hand and turning to look at her sister. "But, I'm going to be okay," Elsa said with a soft smile, more genuine than the last, and a nod. She paused. Her heart pounded. Her gaze drifting from her sister. Her tone was hushed. " I don't know if they'll be alright, but I really hope they will be."

"Okay, well, in this kingdom good things happen, and we're going to make sure to do everything a person can do. That's all we can do, right?" Anna suggested sweetly. Kristoff had a saying of 'nothing is permanent', and his philosophy was very much that things would happen, and sometimes they weren't controllable. It helped Anna understand that she couldn't fix everything, but that that wasn't always a bad thing.

"It'll be okay, one way or another." She assured. She hoped she was right. Kristoff was better at these things.

" Your right, " Elsa said reverting her gaze back to her sister. She found one of her sister's hands with her own and clasped it.

"Alright." Anna felt a little better, hearing that maybe she had said the right thing. "Why don't you sleep? I'll stay right here. Just like when we were kids." Anything to help her feel better, after all this mess that scared Elsa so.

Anna just wished she knew what had shaken Elsa so badly. She wasn't sure she had seen this in person, but she knew it had to be like what she had felt when their parents had passed. Even outside of her room the castle had chilled after that.


	4. Siren's Song

It was a new day and Elsa was back to daily queenly duties. The sister session with Anna had calmed her nerves a bit, yet _he_ was still on her mind. It was hard to focus on her paperwork. She had received no update on his condition yet, she assumed that meant he had remained stable, at least she hoped. She sighed, she knew she wouldn't get much work done with _this_ eating away at her mind.

She got up from behind her desk, and began to pace, like she usually did when she pondered. Elsa sighed deeply and walked out of her study. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but there was no stopping now, she was past the point of no return. When she arrived at the hall at the opposite end of the castle, she saw the guards stationed at the door, her heart skipped a beat, but she pressed forward. She walked up to the door and stopped.

The guards glanced at each-other and shrugged. They knocked to herald Elsa's arrival, and opened the door for her. It was unlocked, but it seemed they didn't see that as a concern.

Hans was, surprisingly, sitting up. He had straightened up a bit on her arrival, but opted out of a shirt. His torso was mostly covered in bandages, it seemed to do well enough, but it also showed that he was no idle prince. His arms and torso had plenty of muscle. He was growing a bit of stubble as well- no-one had given him anything he could have shaved with.

Usually he would have greeted her, but at the moment he seemed uncertain how he felt. He didn't seem as positive toward her, but didn't seem to dislike her, either. It was not his forced neutrality, just a general uncertainty.

"No letters today, I'm afraid. I've been a bit preoccupied." He remarked. He still clearly wasn't up to full form (else he probably would have put on a shirt), but he seemed to be conscious and aware enough. He seemed different without the layers of shirt and coat, a bit more of a rugged Navy man than the prince who stood tall. And, beneath the bandages, he was still wearing treasoner's striped hide.

Seeing him shirtless had caught her off guard, even if he was mostly covered in bandages, she tried to avert her gaze, but eyes kept darting back to examine him.

Letters? She had completely forgotten about those.

She let out a hum. "Oh, I didn't come for a letter..." she paused, maybe she was starting to regret coming to visit him.

Hans looked away as well. "Come to ask questions?" He proposed, less than content with the idea. "Or just to make sure I don't lie about being fine again? I'm afraid I have no intention to change that, but the doctor is checking on me regularly, so I can't be hiding anything." Perhaps his annoyance wasn't with her, but was more of a self-loathing. He certainly seemed to have enough of it.

Why was she there? She really had no business being there, but to pry. She felt genuine concern about him, after witnessing his afflictions, yet he wasn't aware of her presence during his surgery due to being unconscious. He would surely view her concern for him as pity.

"I'm sorry," she apologized impulsively. " I shouldn't have come."

She had come to check on his well-being, and he seemed to be better than the day before, even if he was in bad spirits, but she couldn't blame him for that. Her mission had been completed, she could move on with her day, it was best for her just to turn around and walk away.

"No-" Hans impulsively reached out a bit, then realized the gesture was strange. That, or he just felt his back twinge and bandages catch and had to stop. He pulled back as quickly as he started. "My apologies, I'm a bit surly this morning, I'm afraid. It's not in my nature, usually. Please, do ask your questions. I'll enjoy the friendly company." Even if he didn't seem happy, it was more pleasant to see the Queen than to be lost in his thoughts. He briefly looked up at the ceiling, as if looking for something, but he didn't look for longer than a glance. There was nothing there but the decorated and relatively flat bedroom ceiling one might expect of a palace.

Elsa hesitantly stood in place for a moment. She followed his gaze up to the ceiling.

"Are you sure? I would not like intrude if you would just wish to rest and recover," she said as she already started to bridge the gap between her and bedside. She paused and asked a question that would have been strange not given the circumstances. "...Would you like some ice?"

Hans thought about it a moment. "...Sure. Some ice would numb the pain." He would never show his pain, but at least he admitted he had it. "Hot packs and cold packs, one or the other always, it seems. Please, do stay. I enjoy your company, even if I don't always show it." It was almost intimidating, when she was close to him. He knew she wouldn't hurt him intentionally, but it didn't stop him from holding his breath when her hands were close to him, or when her gaze met his and asked questions she never said.

The heat emanating from him was no longer searing like it had been last night, yet it was still fairly warm, she wondered if he still had a mild fever or if he was inherently that warm. She was cautious as she focused her powers to create a light layer of frost over the bandages on his back.

"Better?" she asked as she finished, bringing her hands down to her sides.

Hans couldn't help but tense when she touched his bandages. Not in fear, per se, but perhaps in anticipation. He could almost feel the way the frost crept in shards and fractals over the bandaging.

"Yes, thank you." He nodded, not sure how he felt when she pulled her hands back. He was struck -not for the first time- by her beauty and grace, and the kindness in her words and deeds, tone and poise. "I hope I didn't ramble too deliriously yesterday. I didn't realize I was in such a poor state until I was too tired to do anything about it." And he definitely didn't remember it. He vaguely recalled writing his note and feeling unfocused, then definitely not being able to properly focus on the people in front of him, and laying down. He wouldn't never lay down in front of company unless they were going to, as well. He _must_ have been doing poorly.

Elsa gave as soft smile at his thanks. She shook her head at his comment about deliriously rambling. And then she stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to continue.

Elsa was not a conversationalist, that was _definitely_ Anna's prowess not hers.

Hans waited a long moment, and seemed as engaged in the silence as he was in conversation. Waiting for her to speak, pondering over the time it took, and the expressions she gave. Hans was an analyst, someone who watched others and gauged them. He had to be, if he was to mirror them.

"Would it be easier if I put on a personality? Told another story? I believe it was the sirens, last time, right? I liked that story. Before Arendelle, I tried to believe we had made it up. Now I know that we didn't." He considered telling her she had a few similarities to them, but he couldn't imagine she would take that well, no matter how he meant it.

" I believe," she muttered under her breath as she remembered the words she had written on the note she had planned to give him. "The sirens yes," she said drifting out of her daze. "I enjoyed reading your tale ...and the song, even though I'm not familiar with the tune, so I couldn't quite place the notes." she stated. "My heart is pierced by cupid," she said mindlessly remembering the lyrics.

Hans smiled a bit, almost sheepishly. "I... played the harp, in the Isles. All my brothers learned an instrument, mine was the harp. I could play a bit, if we had one. My voice isn't as nice as a siren's, but I know the words." He seemed embarrassed of the feminine instrument, but he was proud of the skill it took to learn it.

"The harp is a beautiful instrument,"she smiled. " We might be in luck, 'cause I'm pretty sure there's a small harp in the music room, though it's probably best not to strain you playing the harp now, but I do wish to hear you play it someday," she said delightedly. "I think your voice would be fair enough, if you don't mind indulging me, could you please share the tune? I would love to learn it." She was so eager to hear the song, that it didn't cross her mind that it was strange or awkward to ask him to sing to her.

Hans seemed uncertain. He was going to ask that he play it instead, but he remembered the way his back twinged when he reached out to her before. "That may be for the best." He admitted, reluctantly. He felt it supremely awkward to sing for anyone else, but she asked, so he would acquiesce. Besides, he recalled singing back to the sirens, even though there were others around. Why did it bother him now then?

"It's not an uncommon song to hear on land, in the right places." He assured, And at least this song was mostly voice, and didn't need music to be beautiful. So he started at the beginning of the song.

_Upon one summer's morning_

_I carefully did stray_

_Down by the Walls of Wapping_

_Where I met a sailor gay_

_Conversing with a young lass_

_Who seem'd to be in pain_

_Saying, William, when you go_

_I fear you'll ne'er return again_

_My heart is pierced by Cupid_

_I disdain all glittering gold_

_There is nothing can console me_

_But my jolly sailor bold_

There were more verses, and he seemed to know them all. None of them were like the one he retorted with, however. That had been Hans' own creation, it seemed. The song was soft; unsettling, but affectionate. The song of someone who wouldn't be seeing their love again, whether they knew it or not.

Elsa picked up the melody right away and began softly humming it herself, to try to memorize the tune.

Hans had a lovelier voice than he was willing to admit, Elsa found his voice quite soothing, even with the slightly somber words.

"That was quite beautiful, Thank you for your indulgence," as she continued to hum.

Hans shrugged. "As her Majesty commands." He assured sweetly. She had asked, so he provided. He wouldn't have been truly bidden to her crown, as a prince- but as he had said, he was a prince 'in name only'. Perhaps, as her prisoner, he truly was. Both in practice and in theory.

It remained silent between the two, except for Elsa's hum. Elsa didn't mind silence, it was quite comforting to her, but thought maybe it had been dwelling on too long. Her hum stopped as she tried to rekindle a conversation. " Would you like to share another story? I would be happy to listen, though I might have asked too much of you with my last request and you would rather rest," she offered. Elsa seemed to forget she had other duties to attend to, though she could get to them later. In a strange way she was quite enjoying his company, and did not want to dismiss herself, as if he had been just another one of her obligations.

He thought a bit about it. "What sort of story would you like? I have stories of fighting pirates on the open sea, stories of the mischief I used to get up to as a boy, it just depends on the sort of story you would like to hear. I certainly enjoy talking when I'm away from the Isles, as long as the room doesn't echo." What a strange stipulation.

Both options he offered were quite interesting. She really was curious to know more about his childhood, yet she knew talk of the Isles seemed to inflict pain, and she really didn't want to cause him any more discomfort right now. So decided to opt out for the pirates, since she also knew how much he loved talking about the sea. "A story about pirates sounds compelling. Did you really cross them yourself?"

Hans smiled a bit. "That was my job, protecting the merchant vessels through the area on my ship. I was acting admiral and captain of the Conch Cat. It's a term for a cat with extra toes, they're supposed to be lucky, and as the thirteenth, I needed all the luck I could get. We had a cat on board, 'Big Red'. We called him 'His Highness' because he had the same fur color as me, and we'd direct people to the cat any time they asked for the prince." Hans grinned a little at the thought. He tried to lean back, then stopped and sat forward again. He didn't express pain, but it was pretty clear he had felt it.

"So, one day, we were stuck in a fog. You can't move in a fog, generally, because if it's too thick, you can't see where you're going and might run aground, or worse. So we had the sails away, anchor down, and were just waiting for it to clear. That day, we had a young man named Fletcher up in the Crow's nest. Fletcher's a good lad, and the best set of eyes you could have aboard a ship. Next thing I knew, he was at my elbow saying 'Pirates off the port bow'. I wasn't about to doubt him and his eyes, he had never led me astray before, but I had always fancied playing games with pirates." Hans grinned a little bit.

"I have respect for pirates, truthfully. They treat their crews well, generally, they would sometimes have female captains or pirates among them, they never cared about one's color or creed, only what one could earn. They even had healthcare and took care of their own. I can respect that. So anyway, I told my crew to get their weapons and hide. We were midway through a long journey, we had some empty containers in cargo. So men took their weapons and fled in all corners, looking for places to hide. Even the cat seemed to hide under a bed in wait."

"But of course, as the Captain, I needed to have a primary role in defeating the pirates and bringing them in, and I had every intention to. So I went to the stairwell down into the hold, where most of my crew was hiding away, and I climbed it. Hands on one wall, feet on another, I climbed up above the door, like I've done to escape my brothers before. I even put myself in a nonchalant sitting position with my sword in-lap, and just waited there. Now in truth, that's rather difficult to do for a long period of time, but it was worth it. I held until the pirate captain passed right under me with his crew before. 'Hello, Gentlemen', I said, then dropped down like a cat from a shelf. My crew popped out from hidden compartments and beer barrels and under tables and stairs, and they were quite held fast. There were a few scuffles in getting everyone tied and handled into the brig, but the only one who did any real damage was a female pirate cursing our crew, her crew, and every Navy man under the sun. I admired her spirit, the boatswain not so much, when she near cut a chunk out of his arm, but we stopped her. Made for a nice story back at port."

Hans grinned at the whole story, thinking back fondly to the Navy. The same Navy that nearly killed him. It was strange how he could smile about it.

His grin was contagious. Elsa couldn't stop herself from smiling along as he told the story. It was way more than just his grin though, it was how he told the story with so much passion it was hard not to smile. Reading his letters were nothing compared to hearing them straight from the source. The way he told the story was so lively and immersive Elsa almost felt she was there herself.

She picked up part about his brothers that seemed out of place in the talk about pirates. In fact it almost felt like he had more admiration for the Pirates than his Brothers.

It saddened her that he would no longer be able to do something he spoke of with such fondness.

" His Highness, huh? I don't think I've ever seen a cat with red fur, that would definitely be a sight to see."

"He was a bit, beautiful longhair. The problem with that was, he also liked me, and would lay on my shoulder all the time, so I constantly looked like I was losing my hair from all the fur he left on my uniform." Hans laughed, gesturing around his neck, though the gesture was a little stiff as pain halted him again.

"He'd purr in my ear all the time, a most calming creature. Cats are lucky on boats, and necessary to keep mice out of the stores, and he was a big fluffy sweetheart. Probably still on the boat, he's old but he's not that old." Hans liked cats. It didn't come up often, but he did. Cats and horses.

"Speaking of animals, how is my horse? Sitron has always been good, I was happy to hear you would be kind to him."

The question caught her off guard. She hasn't thought much about his Horse since his arrival. She had sent the horse to royal stables where he would be treated well like she promised, at least she hoped that was the case, she really had to check in on the Sitron now that he mentioned it.

"Sitron, is in the royal stables, he should be properly provided for," Elsa said. "You really care for your horse don't you? It was a bit strange that you brought him along with you."

Hans nodded. "He's been mine since I was a young man. Horses and swords, the Isles are pretty traditional. The only thing I could talk to without feeling like I would be teased or chastised later for what I said- as long as I rode far enough from home, first. I never wanted to be near home anyway, so it worked out nicely for me. I brought him for companionship on the boat."

The Isles seemed like a _very_ traditional nation. There was nothing wrong with traditions, yet the way Hans spoke about his own homeland sounded less like a case of excessive discipline, and more like vigorous cruelty. Elsa didn't know how to respond.

Perhaps Hans caught the look on her face.

"It's not the way it sounds. The _crown_ is kind. My father, and the eldest brother are good men. Great men, in fact. If they adhered to the grim law as well as they say they do, four of us would have been hanged. Two as common thieves in Corona, one is in trouble with the church _and_ is a thief, and me. A treasoner. None of us have been. Brothers are just personally violent toward each-other naturally, I'm led to believe. Though as princes with perhaps too much leeway, it got out of hand on a regular basis." To say the least.

"I _do_ like _some_ of my brothers. It's the seven or so in the middle I can't stand." Slightly over half, as if that helped.

"I can't imagine having so many siblings. I only had one and-" Elsa trialed off for a second. "...that was hard enough."

Hans tilted his head curiously. "Was?" It was strange, Elsa spoke in the past-tense.

"Good god, did something happen to her?" He sounded genuinely concerned for a moment. Ironic, for someone who tried to kill them both.

"Wait, what? No, Anna is fine!" she burst in fluster. Her tone softened. "...I was just think of our childhood, and how I couldn't be with her...even if I wanted to..."

Hans nodded thoughtfully. "Every family has its idiosyncrasies, I suppose. But your relationship with your sister is beautiful and warm. I have that with a few brothers, it can be... lifesaving." He seemed lost in his own thoughts as well.

"Will you continue to visit? Or am I just lucky because I don't have paper to write?" He smiled a little toward her, something of respect in his look. He must have respected her, he continued to tell the truth, or at least to claim to. He wasn't keeping his false neutrality, but he didn't seem to be putting on an act in particular. If he was, he didn't seem to notice.

"Kicking me out already?" she tried to tease. "Hmm... I have to admit listening to your stories was more enjoyable than reading them, makes me reconsider giving you pen and paper... Regardless, I would probably come visit to provide more Ice if you still desire it." She returned a soft smile.

He smiled a little. "I can't, I'm in _your_ home." He pointed out, jokingly. "Surprised the guards stand on the outside. Maybe they realized I never try the doors, though they don't seem to be locked." Hans knew he could open the doors. Then what? Run? He had no desire to, and wasn't certain he could get far even if he weren't injured.

"I'm happy to tell stories any time you ask. Or just talk about whatever. I came here to give truths, not more lies. Whatever you should ask. And, I wouldn't say no to more ice." There was a bit of a smile there that suggested he might have asked even if he didn't need the ice. It would easily have been an excuse for her to visit, though in this case, he actually did need it. "Someday I'll play the harp for you, if you like." He had not forgotten that idea. 'Someday'. A someday he almost seemed to be looking forward to.

Elsa glanced towards the door, when Hans mentioned it, he was always very observant.

His stories she would be eagerly awaiting to hear. Truths on the other hand she was still unsure of, especially ones that had been brought up in the Throne Room, they had been weighing on her mind & would require more deliberation (but she could dwell upon those later).

Elsa had really enjoyed keeping him company. She realized that this was the first time since he returned to Arendelle that she really felt at ease in his presence.

Hans really shouldn't have pledged he'd do whatever she'd ask, cause she could be likely to take him up on his offer, and to his dismay, she might make him sing for her again or worse.

The Ice had truly been more of an excuse to return, but was glad it was purposeful as well.

" I would really like to hear you play, someday," she smiled. There was a brief pause of silence. " I _really should_ take my leave, I do have paperwork still waiting for my attention, and it's very possible that Anna as well."

Hans nodded, hesitantly. "Does she... know that I'm here?" He sounded like he almost didn't want to know the answer. "At least in the dungeons I was fairly certain she wouldn't visit. I'd sooner go through this again than hear what she thinks of me now." He gestured to the wounds on his back. "Though it is a very slim margin." He would sooner endure pain that could kill him than endure one upset woman telling him how horrible he was- but most particularly, the one he had been engaged to.

The question made her tense up. Elsa pursed her lips, something about _Hans_ inquiring about Anna made her uncomfortable. She dismissed it as her over-protectiveness, that was strongest when it involved _him_.

Anna might not have known that he was here in this room, but she was well aware of his presence. Elsa had informed her sister right away about the Prince's new residence in the dungeon, she did not want to keep _that_ a secret from her. Of course, Anna had been upset with the news, and had wished to visit him just to assault his face with her fist yet again, but Elsa had forbade and fortunately Anna had complied with her wishes.

" She... she is well aware of your return to Arendelle," she answered softly.

Elsa had feared the two crossing paths again, for she knew her sister would give him more than just a piece of her mind. There was a reason Elsa was wary of mentioning _Hans_ as the reason behind her distressed state last night.

She was afraid of telling Anna about her visits with Hans and what she might think them, that's exactly why she hasn't been open to sharing details with her.

There was a higher chance of them having a confrontation now, with Hans now residing within the castle walls, and that scared Elsa. Especially since Elsa was well aware of her sister's curious nature, the risk of her stumbling upon this room was high.

Hans nodded thoughtfully.

"It's okay, I can withstand what's deserved. I did attempt treason, after all. Whatever my reasons, treasons are treasons." He laughed a little, dryly, at his wordplay. "Perhaps she'll take pity if I'm still dressed in bandages." That was a joke, though it was almost certainly true.

Anna was bound to find out sooner or later, but Elsa didn't think she wasn't ready to tell her just yet, mostly because she didn't know how. The clash between Anna and Hans was inevitable, it might be better to let it run its course sooner rather than later. Elsa just felt she ill-prepared to deal encounter and its aftermath.

Elsa let out a slight huff and flashed a grim smile.

" I should go now, " she said softly as shifted awkwardly in place.

Hans closed his eyes briefly, and nodded.

"Until next time, your Majesty. I shall look forward to your next visit." His tone was positive, but it seemed that Hans was still thinking of something grimmer. As she began to leave, he moved to lay down again on his bed. The doctor would be along shortly to change his bandages, anyway.

"Until Next Time," she said heading towards the door. As her hand reached the doorknob she peers back to look at him. She can sense a shift in his mood. "... I can ask the guards to bring you some books, if you like, to occupy your mind." She offers.

He thought about it a bit.

"Your favorites, perhaps? I'm curious what you would choose." He suggested fondly, without telling her his. Of course, as an adventurer, his preference was for adventure novels. But he wanted to know _her_ better. He told her, much, it was her turn to share her interests.

" All right, I'll see what I can find," she said turning the door knob. "I'll keep them a surprise until they arrive." Elsa flashed a playful smile.

Hans nodded, amused by her attempts at suspense, and settled himself on his arms like a great cat again.

Elsa exited the room, gently closing the door behind her. The guards acknowledged her as was customary, but didn't say a word. They were the same two guards as before (they still had not had their rotation), They had known how much time Elsa had spent in there with the _Prince_. The realization made her cheeks lightly flush in fluster, but it just a twinge of short lived embarrassment. She'd done what she set out to do, which was check-in on Hans, yes, she might have lost track of time, but that was okay for she had enjoyed his company, for once.

She continued on her way back to her study, reminding herself to stop by the library on her way to pick up some books, as promised. Unconsciously, Elsa began humming the tune the Prince had reluctantly sang to her.


	5. Words of Wisdom

Kristoff was pretty close to being a prince now, sure. But he was always a man of the wilderness, first and foremost. As such, he spent most of his time with Sven in the stables, still. He idly strummed at his lute, just hanging out with his buddy for a while.

He had been surprised by the return of Hans' horse to the stables, but Anna has gone on about the prince's return, so that made sense. He wasn't going to judge the horse for his rider.

The last thing he expected that day, of course, was the Queen.

Elsa made note to check on Sitron's treatment after meeting with the Prince earlier that day, and not knowing for sure what they were doing to his horse.

She had made some time to go visit the stables herself after catching up on most of her paperwork.

When she arrived at the sables it was rather quiet. She was so focused on seeing Sitron that she had not realized she was not alone.

Kristoff was sitting around, strumming on his lute, but he paused when the Queen arrived to check up on Sitron.

"Good afternoon, 'Else." Kristoff hummed. The one nice thing about being close to the royal family, he could stop with the 'your majesty' and 'your highness' business unless he was being cute or extra formal for some reason. He resumed the lute, casually, not wanting to make it seem like he was in her business.

"Not often I see you here." He was curious, but he also recognized that none of this was technically his business. He was there if she needed to talk. He would mind his own if she didn't. He was pretty chill about those things.

The sudden sound of Kristoff's voice startled her a bit, causing bits of ice to shoot from her hands. She really should have checked if the coast was clear before entering the stables, but alas it too late now she'd been caught and there was no turning back.

It embarrassed her a bit that she did not notice such a Gigantic Man. How could she have been so distracted not to hear the strumming of the Lute?

" Oh, Kristoff, Good Afternoon, " she stammered out as she turned to face his direction.

" Yeah," she answered nervously. " Just thought I'd come check on the horses."

Kristoff paused. "Sorry to surprise you. I'm not used to being sneaky." He joked gently, checking to make sure she didn't damage anything with the ice.

"Are you okay?" She wasn't usually so tense. He was observant, but he didn't use that the way Hans did. Kristoff would be Kristoff no matter who was there. He assessed people to see what _they_ needed, not what he needed to be.

Elsa took notice of Kristoff's keen eye, it made her wonder if _all_ men were this astute or if it was just a trait of the ones she knew.

Elsa let out a sigh in defeat. She might as well open up to him, after all he was a good listener.

"Yeah, but truth be told I only really came to check on Sitron," She admitted sheepishly. Elsa tried to stretch out her hand to pet the Fjord Horse's face, but it was to no avail, he just jerked back and avoided her touch. She grumbled at her failure to befriend the horse. " I just remembered I promised to take good care of him, and wanted to make sure I kept my word."

Kristoff nodded, thoughtfully. "Herd animals can sense when you're scared." He explained simply. He wandered over and offered a hand to the horse, to see if Sitron would take an interest in him. He was always pretty calm, or at least very good at operating under pressure. "I can imagine why you never got too used to horses." He didn't need to watch her to get that idea. She froze everything she touched. He'd want to stay away from animals too, back then. Getting used to them now, now that her powers were mostly under control, it would be more difficult.

"You seem bothered, but not in the way I'd expect you to be." It was just an observation. She could tell him, or she could keep it to herself. He would be open and listen if she had things to say. Elsewise, he'd mind his own business. That was generally how he was. He was always listening to Anna when she got in a rambling mood, and unlike most, he took a keen interest in what she had to say, even if sometimes he looked distracted, he always came back with something to contribute to the conversation when he had something of interest for her. He wouldn't pretend to understand politics, but he had wisdom, when he chose to share it.

Even with her powers more controlled, there was still so much that she was unable to do, so much she missed out on in her childhood, and had to learn now.

Elsa sighed.

"Huh? Not bothered in the way you'd expect? And what way would you'd expect?" she asked curiously. She wanted to open up to him, and hear his outlook, but she needed to find a way to start.

Starting a Conversation between two people that are so used to being on the listener side rather than being talkers is a bit hard, not impossible, but definitely a challenge.

Kristoff patted the horse's nose, then it's neck, calm as ever.

"Your attempted murderer is nearby, but you don't seem nervous for your life. You've always been very relaxed about that." He seemed more understanding than surprised about that fact.

"You seem nervous about something else. I don't know what, and I'm not convinced that you do, either. You have a habit of being nervous about people. I suppose that's as good a thing as any to be worried about." He thought about it a bit, it almost seemed like he was done talking, but Kristoff liked to roll thoughts in his head a bit, to see what would come of them.

"Your powers act up when you listen too much to your head, and not enough to your heart. Innate magic is like a wild animal, or like this horse. It doesn't listen to words, it listens to feelings. So, what are you feeling? It doesn't have to make sense. Feelings often don't. But sometimes listening to those can save your life. I listen when my gut tells me to get off the ice. It stops me from falling through." His advice was unusually knowledgeable, but he _did_ grow up with the trolls. It was just, nobody asked him. So he usually didn't volunteer his thoughts.

Elsa was still astonished at Kristoff's ability to read her like a book, it was like his own own magic power. It was hard to believe they were both the same age and yet he was so much wiser.

This was the opening she was looking for, to let it all out. She let out a deep sigh.

"You're right," She looked down at her hands. "That's never fazed me,"she said truthfully. "My concern has and will always be Anna over myself." To Elsa, her sister was more important than her own life.

Elsa brought her hands up closer, still looking down at them, pensively.

"I've just had a lot on my mind ever since-" she trailed off for a moment, try to find the words to continue. "...you know, _he_ returned to Arendelle... _confusion_ more than anything," she paused. " ...Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing."

"It's true, I need to get out of my head," she determinedly agreed. 'What am I feeling?' she asked herself. " I'm so confused, I don't even know what I feel..." Elsa let out another sigh. "But your right I need to start listening to my heart more, it just feels so right when I do, sometimes I forget it," she brought one hand up against her heart. "Kristoff you seem to understand my magic better than I do," Elsa lightly laughed. "You're so wise." she lightly ruffled his hair with her free hand for a moment as she said it. Kristoff was like a brother to her now, sometimes she felt compelled to act sisterly.

Starting letting go of the load of her pent-up thoughts and feelings was relieving, like taking a heavy load off her chest, she just wished she could let herself open up to Anna. Telling Kristoff was easy, but telling Anna was _different_ she felt had far more to lose with her.

Kristoff chuckled a little, especially at the playful hair-ruffling. "Yeah, well. Not to make it a big thing, but my family are the rock trolls, and they do magic. So I sort of learned about magic too. I mean I can't do anything fancy, but my element is water and I use that to master ice harvesting. I know where water is. I can sort of 'sense how your magic is feeling' if that makes sense?" He cringed a bit and offered an iffy hand wave. He recognized it sounded weird. Or worse, like witchcraft. "It's not very impressive. Sven can do the same with plants, so he never stumbles in the forest."

"So, if you're wondering if you're doing the right thing: What are you doing now? What does your head want, and what does your heart want? Anna is important, but you have to recognize yourself sometimes, too. Your family -and I am including myself while I'm dating and hopefully someday maybe marrying your sister possibly- loves you. We'd all lose it if you were gone, so try to remember yourself. You are a human, no matter how many amazing powers you have. You have to be kind to yourself to survive." He hedged a lot with the possible marrying, but it was clear he did that out of shy nervousness, not doubt in their relationship. More doubt in himself- and possibly how Elsa might take the suggestion. After all, the last time a guy proposed to her sister, Elsa froze the place.

So, he could sense how her magic was feeling, she didn't quite understand exactly _how_ he was capable of perceiving it, but did recognize his instinctive connection to it. "That makes sense."

She was reflective of his words. _What was she doing now?_ She was trying her best to fulfill her duty as Queen. _What did her head want?_ Her head wanted to do what was best for _everyone_ , her family, her kingdom. _And lastly what did her heart want?_ Her heart wanted to do what was best for Anna, it wanted to be compassionate, and it strongly wanted something _more_ , but she didn't quite understand it or how to satisfy it's desire.

She had to recognize herself, that was easier said than done, being kind to herself was something she still had trouble doing. But she had to at least try, for her family that loved her, to _survive_.

" I'm only human," she smiled at the thought. "It's nice to be reminded of that sometimes." Sometimes her mind would wander, and she would doubt her humanity, she often felt like a _Monster_ hiding behind human skin.

"That's right. We all forget a little bit sometimes, I think. You perhaps more than most." He observed.

Kristoff thought for a long moment, not wanting to intrude on Elsa's thoughts, with a few of his own as well.

"Forgive me for asking, and don't answer if you don't want to, but... I'm curious, why? Why keep him here when we know what he's done? What changed? And why did he come back? If you know?" It wasn't malice or doubt in Elsa's decisions, only curiosity, for himself. He had no reason to doubt Elsa's decisions. He was only curious why she made them as she did. He figured she must have some royal insight that he didn't.

Those were all questions Anna had asked her as well, when she first revealed the news of Hans' return. Elsa had been in a different mindset at the time. She had not gone into much detail as to why Hans would now reside in the Kingdom's Dungeon. Anna had been clearly upset, _of course_ , but had not pressed for much more information, trusting her judgement. What had really calmed Anna was Elsa claiming that she was no longer personally interact with the Prince (outside of the daily journals), but that didn't go as planned. Oh dear, do some things ever change.

Elsa time to process her thoughts since that day, and could better answer those questions. She would give in to Kristoff's curiosity, she really need to talk about her decision, and Kristoff was a good listener to open up to.

Elsa hummed a sigh.

" You know... I originally decided to send him back to the Southern Isles...but-" she admitted. " It just...it just didn't _feel_ right." She began pulling at her braid with her hands. "...I didn't think _I_ would _ever_ see _him_ set foot in Arendelle again, let alone allow him to stay," she snorted. "...There was just _a lot_ to consider during his deliberation."

"Where do I even start?" she softly sighed. "He came to 'provide if asked,'" she quoted Hans. " To surrender himself to whatever I saw fit. All he asked was to be kind to his horse." She looked intently at Sitron, pausing for a moment, thinking of how to continue.

"...I know I must take everything _he_ says with a grain of salt, with all things considered," she started pensively. "Yet... he said some things that rang true, that I simply couldn't ignore."

Maybe she'd gone off on a slight tangent.

"Why allow him to stay here instead of sending him back? I really don't know," she confessed. "He said he wished to atone for what he's done, and ...maybe I wanted to be a _fair_ Queen, that grants _even him_ , a chance of atonement, even if it meant keeping him in the Dungeon." Or maybe it was something else she still wasn't quite sure.

"But just because I let him stay in Arendelle doesn't mean I forgive him for his actions. He himself did not ask for forgiveness, he knew it was something I could _never_ give him. I can't forgive and forget what he did to _Anna_ , never." she said bluntly.

Kristoff was silent, letting Elsa go on at length. When she was done, he stayed that way, rolling over his thoughts as usual.

"You know, from what you tell me, I think I'd believe him, too." Kristoff was famously suspicious, and he certainly wouldn't _trust_ Hans, but the words rang true to him.

"He could still be up to something, don't get me wrong, but the things you tell me make more sense than they did before. To surrender to a foreign government that hates you and only plead for your horse? That sounds pretty honest. 'Sounds like something I'd do." He nodded over to Sven.

"You sent him home, where justice might be swept under the rug, or enacted more harshly. Is that fairness, or kindness? I suppose it depends which happens. I would call it kindness, but my home is kind." He didn't know where he was going with that, per se. It was just an intriguing thought he'd had.

"That's interesting, that he didn't ask for something he knew he could never have. Most men would beg forgiveness, and never truly have it. It figures that he wouldn't try that. He's very 'all or nothing', a false hope is worse than none. What do you suppose he wanted to happen? Or what he expected? Now I'm curious about this guy. I don't think we ever traded words." Kristoff nearly punched him, but he let Anna do that.

Elsa smiled at Kristoff's understanding.

"I'm not quite certain what he expected, I have a hard time reading him," Elsa said musingly. "...He is a very curious _man_ indeed."

Kristoff and Hans never interacted outside the encounter on the fjord. It made Elsa wonder what a conversation between the two perceptive men would even look like, had they been given the chance.

He tilted his head a bit. "Why the emphasis? Doubting his manhood, or his _personhood_?" Again, no judgement, only curiosity. And maybe a hint of a joke, though perhaps it would be better if she didn't acknowledge that.

Elsa picked up on Kristoff's wordplay. Her eyes had widened for a brief moment and she could feel a slight heat rising up to her face. His bawdy humor had caught her off guard, but she didn't mind it. Kristoff was a Mountain man after all, he could be a bit crude, but it was part of his character, and she appreciated that he could still be himself, even in the presence of the Queen.

"Before his return to Arendelle, I might have been more inclined to believe he was nothing more than a _monster_ , but things aren't always what they seem... and even _he_ has humanity."

Kristoff looked amused at her being startled. She was the one who put the emphasis on, after all, he was just teasing her gently about it.

"Yeah, men and monsters can look a lot alike, depending on what they've done. In my experience, some men _can_ be monsters, yes. But they're rare. Unfeeling, or uncaring. Some, though, just seem monstrous because we only see half their story. Sometimes I wonder if there are no monsters, and I've only seen or heard of their most monstrous sides. After all, I was raised by trolls. They say trolls kidnap children from their homes and replace them, but I remember where I was before I met the trolls. Going between homes through the ice harvesters, a different family every few days, sort of a 'community kid'. Maybe trolls never kidnapped kids, maybe they just saved the ones that didn't want to be where they were, and that's where the stories come from. Winners write history, that's why witches get burned." He shrugged, a little annoyed by that thought.

"I'm glad I live in Arendelle. Magic is too important to me and my family, and you and yours. I just wonder, what side didn't we see?" He wondered about a lot of things. There was a lot of downtime in his life, and he got to think about a lot of things in it.

Elsa appreciated having opened up to Kristoff, his perceptiveness always helped see things in ways she might not have thought of otherwise.

She reached out to pet Sitron this time he didn't recoil and she gently touched his nose.

"I wonder about that too," she said pensively.

What side had she not seen? She wondered to herself. Her mind wandered back to Hans, she wondered what side of him she had yet to see. He had started opening up to her, at least it felt that way, and she was starting to see the side of him she didn't think she ever would.


	6. Most Memorable

Hans seemed to be recovering quite well, according to the doctor. He was taking the antibiotics and bandages without complaint or fuss, though the doctor still suspected he was downplaying his pain. He was even allowing some degree of physical therapy (though they didn't call it that, at the time) in testing Hans' shoulder movements. There were a number of salves and bandages involved in the healing, and Hans often ignored a shirt in his own time, but as Elsa entered again he at least picked one up and threw it over his bandages, so she might not see the scars that the bandages didn't cover.

"Good afternoon, your Majesty. Or I believe it's afternoon, anyway." He didn't have a clock and didn't ask for the time. What did it matter to him, but for greeting the Queen?

"Have some new questions for me, I hope? Or will I entertain you with another story? I have a fair few about my travels, if that so, suits you. I think my range of motion may almost be well enough for the Harp again." He was light and conversational, his forced neutrality ignored for a moderate lightheartedness. In spite of being a prisoner, he was quite chipper. Being treated so well by the doctor did put him in brighter spirits. If he wasn't otherwise treated well, it didn't show.

Elsa had made a habit of visiting the Prince most everyday, trying her best to make time in her busy schedule to have even a brief visit to check in on him.

There had even been a couple times Elsa had dropped by while he was asleep. Even then she would find herself lingering for a moment or two. There was something captivating about watching him sleep, it was the only time she was _certain_ she could see Hans' true self without his defenses, so she tried her best not to wake him up.

Today she had a bit more free time than usual.

" Good Afternoon," Elsa replied, he had guessed the time correctly. She made her way to the bedside.

"It's good to hear that your motion is improving, I can almost hear the harp, but it's probably still best not to push it." She smiled, as she sat at the foot of the bed, she had made herself a bit more comfortable than in the beginning, no longer afraid to approach him.

" I'd be pleased to listen to your travel stories," she said sincerely. "But first I would like to know if the newest books that were brought to you, were to your liking?" They had made a habit to have a small book review, Elsa enjoyed finally having a fellow bookworm to talk to.

"Still working on _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ and glad I didn't elect to try to read it in the original French, it is _agonizingly_ long." he admitted with a chuckle. "And my French is v _ery_ poor."

_"Frankenstein_ was very good and much easier to make it through, though perhaps a bit close to home. I rather enjoy the Shelley's work, Mary in particular has a keen understanding of seeing the lighter side of darkness, and how the road to hell is paved with good intentions- or alternatively, that one should not attempt to play god and be surprised when it goes awry." Hans was quite a reader, astute and taking an interest- not because he wanted to read the books, per se, but that he had little else to do, and it gave them something to talk about. Elsa chose the books, so he would take an interest and see what in it she took a liking to.

"Now I have one for you, _'Confessions of an English Opium-eater.'_ Some say that De Quincey is not negative enough, I'm afraid I must agree if one takes it as a document for 'what to expect of opium', but I take it as 'one man's personal diary, attempting to make a great and painful change worth something'. In ways, it's both saddening and inspiring."

An odd choice for an admiral, and no doubt there were reasons, but he figured she didn't need a lecture on what he knew of the occasion.

"Of course I can always recommend Shakespeare, but everyone has read that- yet, few mention Titus Andronicus. It may be one of his earliest works, but it certainly is one of his most _entertaining_ to read in the modern day. Personally, I have Macbeth memorized, but that's for other reasons. Partly to give me an excuse to say 'Macbeth' at home. Mother was an actress, it was my little revenge, petty as it is." He couldn't help but smile a little at the silly little thing. He thought it was quite amusing.

Elsa enjoyed a long read, she often got lost in book and end up staying up way past her bedtime reading, slightly regretting it the next busy morning.

"I'll keep those titles in mind for my next read," Elsa nodded. She was always curious of his recommendations and made sure to read or reread them to try to gather some more insight on Hans, herself.

Elsa noticed Hans had mentioned his Mother once again, he definitely seemed to carry some resentment towards her, yet Elsa was too sensible to ask, she didn't like to pry and only inquired about Southern Isles when Hans was the one opening up himself to talk.

"Mind, Titus Andronicus may not be _Appropriate_ for a young lady, but it's Shakespeare, and everyone seems to make exceptions for him. Perhaps that's why everyone reads Hamlet and Macbeth instead, no-one wants to read about the grim business of killing families and turning them into pies." He shrugged a little, considering it offhand. "Hm," He seemed highly amused by a thought, but he let it go. "Anyway, you asked for travel stories? Have a theme in mind? The open sea? China, India, Japan, how the English are doing, anything in particular? Hot memories or chilly ones, fond or foul, city or country, high culture or low? I have a great many experiences, though perhaps fewer stories, but I'm certain I can remember something interesting in any of them."

She enjoyed listening to his stories, he really did have a great many experiences, more than she's ever had and maybe ever will. It made her almost envious of all the freedom he had, while she'd been trapped in her room for almost half her life. Yet, Hans was a wonderful storyteller, momentarily making her forget all that; His words painting vivid images in her mind that made her feel like she was actually there experiencing his adventures herself.

"Hmm," she considered. "What would be your most memorable voyage? Why don't you tell me about that."

He smiled a little. "Well, the siren story, for certain." He pointed out with a little shrug.

"But, what of places I've been...?" He thought a moment.

"Hm, there's many reasons to be memorable. In many ways, Arendelle was my most memorable visit, unfortunately. But perhaps not for the reasons one might think. Maybe I should have kept that to myself." He grimaced a bit. "Oh, how about this fun little piece: I learned to walk barefoot on hot coals in India, simply because I was curious to see how it was done- and I wanted to spook my crew a little bit, too. They were so convinced I'd die horribly. It was uncomfortable, but watching Captain Janssen pale and fetch a bucket was priceless. I think I was more _damp_ by the end of that than burnt, though that might have been his revenge on me for giving him such a fright." He smiled and laughed at the thought. More fond words about his Navy men, it seemed- and this time, a name. "The old man who taught me was very pleasant. I think he was just surprised a white person stopped to talk to him about his practice. I'm not afraid of much, certainly no man, nor pain. There are very few experiences I'm not willing to try at least once."

So, Arendelle. She shouldn't be surprised. 'But perhaps not for the reasons one might think'? Those words lingered in her mind, distracting her from paying close attention to his new story like she normally would. She had to know what exactly he meant by that, she couldn't let it go.

So she dared to ask: "Not for the reasons one might think?"

He gave a bit of a rueful smile.

"I knew you'd hang on that," He admitted."You'd think, 'for his treason'. I'd think 'I've managed to see _magic_ and that's mighty impressive. Not simple street performers playing at magic with cards and sleight of hand that any idiot bored enough can learn, but true magic. I'll always remember my crimes, yes, but I am glad I got to see magic once more in my lifetime, after the sirens. There is little more memorable than that. At least this way, I know I didn't imagine the whole event. I do wish things had gone differently, of course, but a wish is like a shiny bauble, I suppose: nice to have, but not particularly useful."

He thought a while, and leaned back. He tilted his head a bit and closed his eyes, his only acknowledgement of the slight pain his back was giving him. He likely only did that so she would be reassured that he was telling the truth.

"More than that, perhaps. I got to meet you, and you are, yourself, a memorable person. With or without ice magic. Your sister as well, but I had a whole day to converse with her, to get to know her. I don't believe we exchanged more than cursory warnings across a fjord and the few words I could get in edgewise around Anna when we were 'engaged'. I would have spoken to you first, ideally. I wonder how _that_ would have gone." He didn't like that line of thought, but he couldn't help but think of it.

"I suppose I'd have followed you up to the ice castle a lot sooner. I tried to convince Anna to stay, but she wasn't having any of it. She ran up the mountain in a dress and short sleeves, I remember thinking she ought to have at least paused to get a coat. I was so busy passing out blankets and maintaining the kingdom... incidentally, you really ought to retrain your guard staff. No offense but your kingdom is woefully under-defended and it's unnerving." He had rather spiraled off into other thoughts.

"Sorry, I ramble away from home." He waved himself off with a bit of a sigh.

_Magic._ She looked down at her hands. She often dreaded her magic, considering a curse rather than a blessing. She didn't realize how impactful magic could be, having lived with it all her life. She easily forgot how marvelous her powers could appear, to those that found it more alluring rather than frightening.

He thought she was a memorable person? With or without her ice magic? Elsa felt a sudden flush overcome her. Elsa turned her face away.

Her mind briefly wandered. What would have happened, if he had approached her first? She probably would have still pushed him away like she had pushed everyone else...or maybe not. Had he been persistent he might have broken past her icy walls. _Why_ was she even contemplating _this_ now? She shook those thoughts away, besides she knew it really was senseless dwelling on a hypothetical.

Yet she asked herself: Would Anna have been spared a frozen heart had Hans come sooner? Hans had a knack of lowering her defenses, that _not even_ Anna had, she recognized that.

She stayed quiet for a long time, lost in her thoughts.

Elsa finally ended up letting out a deep sigh, that brought her back to her senses.

He had mentioned Arendelle's defense and the tail end of his ramble, she thought it was the best thing to address, rather than anything else, to try to rekindle their conversation.

"You're right," she admitted letting out another hefty sigh, as she placed one hand over her forehead holding her temples.

He was right Arendelle had not properly re-trained their guard staff, even after the coronation incident. A few more guards had joined the royal brigade, but even then they were definitely understaffed and ill-prepared. The rumors of Arendelle's Ice Queen's wrath had really been the only deterrent keeping potential invaders at bay.

Hans wondered which part he was right about. He let his own mind wander while she thought, and her words brought him back.

"About the rambling, or the guard staff?" He asked, only mostly as a joke. He could see by her frustration that it was probably the latter.

"Both your guard staff and castle staff are, and I do apologize, _too gullible._ Even without prompting, I was practically handed control of the kingdom in Anna's absence. Granted it's not like I could have passed laws- but I was able to bring together a small army of foreign troops, and everyone seemed okay with that. Nobody minded crossbows on a 'search and rescue' mission. Not with wolves in the woods." He frowned a bit.

"Nobody asked questions when I claimed to be married to Anna after we'd known each other for what, two, three days? Most of it apart? No witnesses, and no-one checked the room when I claimed she had died. Somehow I ended up with castle keys, because somebody trusted me. I haven't had keys to my _own room_ since- Never mind, that's not important. The point is your castle is hardly safe. I could educate them about how to think about cons, but you'll need a guard staff with good training. Perhaps import somebody, our sword master in the Isles is in good form yet, I believe. But your guards have a preference for pike weapons, I suppose? Some variety wouldn't kill them."

Hans' voice made Elsa look back up at him.

His words, reminding her how quickly Arendelle had fallen to shambles after run away to the North Mountain, made her wince. It made her annoyed with herself, feeling it was all her fault. She thought she was fleeing to protect everyone when instead she ended up endangering them even more.

Hans had seen an opportunity and taken it, yet no one even questioned him, they had been gullible indeed. Yet, could _she_ really blame them? They were scared and leaderless, he appeared to be a hero amidst a snow queen's tempest. That they'd unquestioningly allow anything to stop the endless winter. Elsa continued to blame herself.

" Thank you for your recommendation, it is something I need to sort out right away." She said letting out another sigh. "I don't know why I haven't addressed this issue yet."

The truth was, even now, Arendelle was still dealing with the aftermath of the coronation incident, it was a lot to put on a new Queen's plate, cleaning up the mess she made (on her first day) on top of all her new duties. Even if she tried her hardest, things still easily slipped through the cracks. She hated to admit it, but was still young and inexperienced, with no one to guide her.

Hans waved a hand. "The life of a Queen is a busy one, there are a hundred thousand new things to address every day and one can only complete half of them." He assured.

"Besides, you were going through a _lot_ that day. I've known desperation, I can understand what you did." He sighed a bit and shifted to lean back against the wall, to cool his wounds a little through the bandages and cotton shirt.

"I've given you truths, might I ask for one in return? Did you intend to die up there in your castle? You left without food. I remember the fear in your eyes when we met there, but it wasn't fear for yourself. Then I put on the mask for you that told you not to become the monster they thought you were. Unsaid, the monster _you_ thought you were. I've known that feeling, too. All too well." Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut, but his curiosity was boundless.

Hans had opened up to her (countless times in fact), it was only fair that she return the favor, besides it was something that had constantly been on her mind and would be good to let out, now that it was prompted.

" If it wasn't painfully obvious already, I aimlessly went up the North Mountain," Elsa softly scoffed at herself. "I wasn't in the right mindset to really think things through. All I wanted to do was get as far away from Arendelle, to keep _Anna_ and everyone else safe. The cold never bothered me, and I didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to follow me," A sad smile crossed her lips thinking about her headstrong little sister. "I should have known better than to think that the girl that spent _years_ knocking at my door, asking me to build a snowman with her, wouldn't come follow me up the North Mountain without a second thought."

She technically already truthfully answered his question, yet she felt impulsed to continue (over)explaining. It was as if the question had opened up a floodgate of information that was just waiting to come out.

Elsa let out a melancholy sigh before carrying on.

"Aside from distancing myself from Arendelle, I had pointlessly gone up the mountain." She acknowledged. "When I finally reached the summit, I recognized my isolation... I realized nothing was holding me back anymore... I no longer had to conceal the power raging inside me, I could finally let it go... that was my new purpose." she spoke with a strong sentiment. "After years trapped inside my room, I was finally _liberated_! It was truly exhilarating to let my powers flow freely as I tested my limits creating the Ice Castle." Elsa looked down at her hands as she spoke, remembering the sensation.

"I was so overcome with ecstasy of finally tasting freedom for the first time in forever, that food and survival never even crossed my mind," she admitted. "I know it was _selfish_ of me to believe my actions of leaving Arendelle were be honest, I didn't even realize I started an eternal winter until Anna arrived."

"After sending Anna off...there was a brief moment... after realizing I could never be truly free...and not knowing how to stop the storm I started, that, I did wonder if the world was just better off without..." she trailed off. "But then _you_ and the other men arrived and brought me back to Arendelle."

Elsa reflected on what Hans just revealed about their North Mountain encounter. How he put on a mask for her, telling her not to become a monster she feared. If it was only a mask he'd put on, it made her wonder: What was he hiding behind? Did the mask conceal his true fear of her? She didn't know why it _stung_ a little, thinking that _might_ have been the case, but whatever it was, wasn't really important, all that mattered was he helped her snap out of her fearful rampage.

Her thoughts lingered on the encounter. Her voice was softer than before.

" Hans..." It was the first time she addressed him without a title, but she was too lost in thought to notice. "Even if it was a _mask_... and regardless of what happened afterwards," she said pensively. "...Thank you," she said sincerely. "Thank you for stopping me from becoming the _monster I feared_... I don't know what would have happened or how I could live with myself, if I actually..." She trailed off again.

Elsa never wanted to hurt anyone, she had gone to all the trouble to distance herself from everyone to avoid that risk. She only started using her powers to protect herself against the Duke's Men, but she almost lost control and crossed the line, had it not been for Hans' words bringing her back to her senses. She wondered how things would have played out; Had he not been there and not spoken up. Had she prevailed in killing those men, she feared she would have pushed herself past the point of no return. She would have become what she feared most of all an _irredeemable monster_. The mere thought sent shivers down her spine.

Hans listened with interest. It filled in a lot of context for him, a lot of things he had been missing.

"Here's a funny story," He began, and offered her his hand, in case she needed some support.

"When I was a boy, I learned to love exploring, running off with my horse into the forests along the beaches, until I learned to love the sea. It was a wider range of unexplored places and unknown things. I took to making rafts and trying to sail off on them. Had I had any foresight, I might have thought about the fact that if I left, no-one could watch Sitron. Soon my father caught on, and set out a rule that until I was sixteen, anyone in the Isles at a boat who saw a raft at a drift was required to find me and pluck me out. The Captain of my ship to this day is a man so old that he was old when he was plucking me out of the water and growling at me about 'Shirking princely duties' that I didn't have." He laughed a little.

He still called his navy ship 'my ship', in spite of everything.

"You never had time to be shortsighted or explore you and your needs. It was overdue, there's no shame to be had in that. Unfortunate that it unfolded as it did, but I'd not blame a child for accidentally starting a house fire, no matter how horrific. Accidents happen, even if they are incredibly unfortunate. Of course, we must react well to them. You fixed things in time. I, on the other hand, cannot fix my treason." He shrugged a little. Matter-of-fact. Unfortunate, but true.

Hans had offered her his hand.

Elsa had been quite taken aback by his courteous gesture. She paused momentarily, contemplating whether or not it was wise to accept it. After some initial hesitation, she decided to take it.

His hand was warm, feverishly warm, compared to her only other point of reference: Anna's. Her hand felt minuscule, opposed to his much larger one. His skin was a bit more coarse than her own, though it's to be expected from a man of the sea. Elsa's felt a slight tingling sensation as they made contact. She nervously clasped his hand with hers.

_'...I'd not blame a child for accidentally starting a house fire'_ his words had struck a memory. The day that _her one little mistake_ completely closed the doors of her childhood and her freedom. She loved her parents, she truly did, but in retrospect she questioned if their decision, of shutting her in to shut everyone else out, had been the _correct_ one. She understood they _thought_ they made the _right_ choice in order to protect her and Anna. But, _was concealing and not feeling really the only option?_ How different would her life have been, had they taken a different approach. She knew these thoughts were fruitless, since the past was in the past, but still she couldn't help but wonder.

"...I often wonder how different my life could have been had I not- " her grip began to tighten as she lost herself in thought. "Had I not accidentally struck Anna with my powers _that_ night," It pained her to recall that she'd critically hurt Anna with her powers, not once but twice. "I really should have stayed in bed instead of allowing Anna to coax me into playing with my powers." she let out a melancholy sigh. "She always wanted to build a snowman, and I just couldn't say no." Her grip continued to tighten.

"Had I instead been the good girl I was always _meant_ to be, maybe it wouldn't have happened. I could have grown-up continuing to explore my powers. All that time I lost locked up I could have spent with Anna, giving her warm hugs instead of pushing her away." Her voice was quivering. "The gates would have remained open and maybe..."

She paused briefly.

" _We_ might have even crossed paths under different circumstances." Her voice had softened as well as her grasp.

She could have thought of a life without her ice magic, as well, yet it had been such an innate part of her, whether she was fond of it or not, it was hard for her to imagine a life without _her_ powers.

Hans had a thought he wanted to share- and he about lost it when she suggested they might have crossed paths differently. Was that _affection_ in her tone? Surely not?

He was silent for a long moment, until he again remembered what he had been thinking about.

"You'd blame it all on wanting to stay up late and play?" He pointed out, with a little softness of his own in his tone.

"That sounds as absurd as blaming my treason on my rafting." He smiled a little. Maybe in a way; If he hadn't taken to the sea, he wouldn't have gone to Arendelle, perhaps. But it was so far removed.

"One of the hardest things to learn, and I still haven't quite learned it for myself: Not _everything_ is your fault. I wouldn't expect a little girl to be completely responsible, nor parents for being afraid for their children. Not everything can be blamed on someone. Sometimes, bad things just _happen._ My father is dying of an illness, and my brother inherited it from him. Do we blame my father for my brother's illness, because he had children?" He shrugged a little.

"Maybe things could have gone differently. But they didn't. Time moves forward, I'm afraid. If only we could correct the past, we would not be the people we are. Correct the past in the present, not in the past we can't access. I suppose that's what I'm doing. Correcting." He held her hand a little tighter, a little more warmly. He was surprised that she took it, and honored, too.

"I must be doing a pretty good job of correcting, hm?" His look was apologetic and hopeful.

He didn't ask for forgiveness, because he knew he couldn't achieve it. That didn't stop him from _wanting_ it.


	7. Consequential Confidante

Hans was right, she had to stop blaming herself for _everything_ , sometimes bad things just happen.

 _Correct the past in the present, not in the past we can't access._ Those words stuck out to Elsa, they were a wise way of thinking about life. Focus on changing what can still be changed. She aspired to start taking those words to heart herself.

Elsa felt the shift in his hand holding hers, getting lost in her thoughts had almost made her forget she was holding it. She briefly glanced down at their hands before giving another firm squeeze.

She met his gaze accompanied by a reassuring smile. " Yes, you are doing a pretty good job correcting," she assured with a slight nod of her head.

Hans looked relieved, but he still couldn't ask for forgiveness, feeling he had not yet earned it. He just held her hand in supportive and appreciative silence for a moment.

"I just wish advice was as easy to take as it is to give. Perhaps if I listened to it, I could have avoided a lot of problems in life. But then, life wouldn't have led me here, I suppose. Perhaps it was worth it." 

It was strange that he could say that, with the skin nearly flayed from his back and turned into ropy scar tissue, bandages still covering his torso, a criminal in a foreign country. 

But, from his perspective: He was an undeserving wretch holding the hand of the Ice Queen of Arendelle, who could have killed him as easily as looked at him. He had survived what he was not meant to survive on multiple occasions, and now he was in a spare room of a castle, holding the Queen's hand as if they were friends, or perhaps something else.

Not to say he could do that without guilt. No, he felt the guilt every day, each as strong as the last. But she didn't need to know that. She didn't need to know how he would have sooner hanged than hear what Anna thought of him to his face, or how he thought every day about how things could or should have been different. 

Perhaps it was implied in what he said: He was very bad at following his own advice.

"Life doesn't always give you want, I know that for certain, but if you're lucky it gives you what you need."

Elsa had once believed she was bound to continue living as a recluse in her own castle. The gates would be forever closed after the coronation and everything would return to ‘normal’, because some things never change. Yet, life had a different plan. 

Hans, his proposal and Anna's persistence had unknowingly become the catalyst that incidentally revealed Elsa's secret, which in turn started a chain reaction. Unfortunately the end results were Hans' treason. 

Even though Elsa would never really remember all that transpired during the coronation incident _fondly_ , she was still grateful of the doors it opened just for happening. She reconnected with her sister, finally let go, and found her freedom. It had also made other things possible that might not have happened otherwise, like Anna meeting Kristoff, the creation of Olaf, and finally; reopening the gates of Arendelle.

But just because things with Hans ended tragically during the coronation, didn’t mean they would have been better off without him, because if it weren't for him helping set off the reaction, some things might have _never_ changed.

Elsa believed some things happened for a reason. Did she believe in destiny? Not exactly. She didn't see fate as something set in stone, but more like something that gave you opportunities, and how you use them is up to you.

"Very true." He agreed softly. He watched her as she got lost in thought, and he felt something. He wasn't sure what. Some degree of peace? Loyalty? Admiration seemed closest at the moment. He admired her beauty and her strength, her softness and her wisdom. Wisdom didn't always mean knowing everything, but accepting knowledge when it came.

"Shall I tell another story? Or have you other questions for me, Your Majesty?" He asked after a long moment, both seemingly lost in their own separate thoughts.

His questions brought her out of her thoughts. Listening to another story would be nice, she really enjoyed those a lot. Yet, there were still many unanswered questions.

There was a knotty question in particular that was eating away at her, it was probably best not to ask, for she may regret asking it for she not might like the answer, yet curiosity seemed to get the best of her.

So, against her better judgement, she dared to ask anyway.

" So, what did you _really_ think of Anna?"

Hans thought about his response a bit.

"She's a sweet girl, a little naive, but that's not her fault. She's cute and endearing, and she needs someone who can listen to her and make sure she feels listened to. She's determined, too-- and has a right hook that could compete with my brothers." He laughed and touched his jaw, remembering that punch. 

"She _punched me off the boat."_ He laughed a little at that memory. "She's determined and wants to be taken seriously, she's impatient and excitable. If she weren't a princess I would advise she go spend some time exploring. If she got a little training and world-wise, she would be a fine pirate, I would wager." That was as much a joke as anything. 

"Or are you asking my feelings for her? I consider her a good princess, and someone I wish I hadn't had to disappoint so thoroughly. I'd sooner she never see me again, if at all humanly possible." 

His insight on her sister was reassuring, she was pleased that he spoke highly of her. 

She wasn't exactly sure what she had been inquiring about herself, his _real_ thoughts, _feelings_ or maybe she just wanted to find an opening to tell him Anna was all right, after everything that happened.

" Anna was lucky to have found Kristoff then, he's a great listener." She smiled thinking of the gentle mountain man and how much he loved her sister.

" She truly is a free spirit, and had she been a pirate she would surely have wrought some havoc," she lightly laughed. 

Elsa paused and her face began to grimace.

"I wish not to disappoint her myself... I forbade her from going to see you in the dungeon afraid of what she might do..." she was worried about Anna's well-being as well as Hans' come they cross paths." I have yet to inform her you are no longer _there_...and I'm afraid of upsetting her."

Hans listened, and smiled a bit. "Kristoff... the big mountain man, I assume? He seemed honest. Don't think I heard two words from him, but that's the impression I got." He shrugged. 

"Thank you for that. It's not the violence I fear, anything she can do to me I'll bear without a word, but it's the disappointment and anger that hurts. I don't get to feel bad about it, though. I did this to myself. Maybe I was wrong, maybe everything would have turned out fine without my being a villain, I can't know. But it was so much easier to be a villain at the time and let her be angry with me, than for 'true love's kiss' not to work and for her to be disappointed in me, or worse, herself. Maybe that makes me a coward. It wouldn't be the first time I took the coward's route." He looked down at his hands, pulling his from hers to fold them in his lap. No, He didn't feel he deserved forgiveness of any stripe.

Elsa nodded to confirm his inquiry about Kristoff.

Elsa had once again forgotten their hands were intertwined until he retracted his hand from hers, letting the warmth that once surrounded it dissipate. 

She drew back her hand balling it up against her chest. Elsa pursed her lips and they both sat silently for a moment.

She took in a breath as she opened her mouth to speak.

" Anna's frozen heart will _always_ be my fault." Even if it was by accident, and Anna had easily forgiven her, she couldn't yet forgive herself, it was a guilt that continued to consume her, she had almost killed her sister, yet again. 

" I'm sorry you felt caught between a rock and a hard place, and thought you were forced to choose the lesser of two evils," she apologized, for the circumstances. " Don't get me wrong, I don't condone your actions, but I do understand them."

"But, I don't believe a 'true love's kiss' would have saved Anna regardless if you _actually_ loved her, I don't think _true love_ works like that," she rationalized. " _I don't know much about love myself_ , but I believe _true love_ is unconditional and requires time. It isn't something that just happens between two strangers overnight, like in fairy tales, I’m afraid that’s just misinterpreting infatuation, and not actually true love."  
  
She briefly paused. She would have mentioned the only unconditional love she happening overnight would be parental love, that love between parents and their newborn child, but refrained herself from doing so, realizing that not everyone is lucky enough to have parents that felt that way.

"I believe what really ended up saving Anna was...her own selflessness." Elsa's voice grew softer. "She gave up her chance of saving herself...in order to save... me." There was a slight trembling in her tone. "Her sacrifice was the act of true love... she saved herself by saving me..." She paused as she tried to gulp down the lump that had grown in her throat. Talking about Anna's Frozen Heart on the fjord was hard on Elsa, she was getting teary-eyed. She took a deep breath,to keep herself from crying. "I love Anna with all my heart...but I feel my love is selfish compared to hers," Elsa thought of how Anna had never given up on her, even after the countless times Elsa had pushed her out and shut the door in her face. Elsa didn't think she was strong enough to endure that same pain Anna had without giving up hope.

" I can't think of any other way...we would _all_ be here today...had _you_...had things not..." She clenched her fist tighter and inhaled again.

" We can never know for sure...how things would have played out differently. But, like you yourself said in the throne room, and I also believe, it was a rather-- miraculous outcome, to say the least."

"If you think yourself a coward, that makes me one as well. Had I stayed rather than run away, everything could have been prevented."

She spiraled into blaming herself for _everything_ again, it was a habit that was hard to break.

Elsa hadn't noticed she had chilled the room as she spoke.

Hans watched her devolve into self-hate and near tears with a look of sympathy. She was clearly so deeply upset-- and in front of a prisoner.

No, he couldn't still be a prisoner. _Prisoners_ did not see the Queen cry. Whatever he was, things had changed. He wasn't sure why. His focus was elsewhere.

He took her cold hands in his and knelt in front of her on the floor, to warm her.

"Hey, hush now." He cooed softly, familiar words from long ago, ones she wouldn't know the way he did. He reached up to pet her hair.

"Stop this thought, you're killing yourself slowly, and one day you'll think like this and make the last decision you'll ever make, forgetting all the people around you who would never be the same. Your sister, your servants, your people, your guards, Kristoff, your snow-creations, myself. There must be a hundred names you know, faces you remember, people who would shed a thousand tears if they knew what pains drove you here. Don't make my mistakes. I made that decision once, someone else stopped me, and I saw the cost of thinking this way for everyone else. Stop feeding your hate, even if it's hate for yourself, even if it's disguised as sorrow. You have made mistakes, had accidents, but you were _never_ a treasoner. You never raised a sword to another intending to kill. You are a wondrous person and if you keep thinking the way you are, I fear we all may one day find that wondrous person missing from our lives forever. I know too many who would never bear that thought."

He spoke quietly, almost in a rush, but always with genuine-seeming care and concern, her hands clasped in his, on one knee on the cold stone without sign of discomfort, looking up at her.

He was alluding to some uncomfortable things. Whether she understood them, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Elsa's hands tightly clasped to his with a slight tremble. She looked down at him with her blue eyes welled up with tears.

The return of his warmth was comforting. His cooing and tender touches had momentarily soothed her. She'd continued to fight back the tears, but to no avail, his words failed to console her heavy heart and she began to weep. 

Elsa understood what he was implying, and recognized what decision he had intended to take, before being stopped by someone. _The easy way out_ , the thought that briefly crossed her _own_ mind up at the North Mountain, of the world better off without her. It hurt her heart to hear, he had impelled to take such an action. She wondered what had provoked him to do so, and dreaded to think it might have been his remorse.

"I-I would never...I love...Anna... Arendelle... too much to ever... make them _suffer because of me_ again." She murmured, with a sniffle. 

Her whole body began to quiver.

"But I can't help, but feel _guilty_ ... the mistakes I made shouldn't be brushed off as if they were _nothing_ or pretend they never happened... just because I am _Queen_ ... they were _fatal_ mistakes...I may not be deemed a treasoner...but...people almost lost their lives...one of being...my own _sister_ and _all_ because of... _me_.

"...And yet Anna keeps telling me... 'It's alright'...because I didn't mean to..but is it really all right?..Does my _intention_ really matter?..A life lost is a lost life... and it would have been...blood on my hands... no matter what.

"I know... love is the key...to my ability...but deep down... I'm still afraid... if I... if I...accidentally lose control again...I could actually end up... _killing_ someone...with-without a second thought."

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

She was letting out the hidden darkness that kept eating away at her heart, thoughts that often kept her up at night, to a man that _almost killed her_ himself, nonetheless. _Why?_ Why did she feel compelled to pour her heart out _this_ man? Why not confide in _Anna?_ Her sweet sister who deeply loved her. Or maybe _Kristoff?_ Who was wise and always willing to listen. Why did it have to be _him_ ? Why _Hans?_..Why?

Maybe, because out of _everyone_ , he was the _only one_ that could _truly_ understand her.

  
  


Hans was surprised she would weep in front of him. It was heartbreaking, truly. But, he could see something had shifted between them. He was something more than a prisoner, though still something less than a person. Still, so were the fey, and they seemed to have sway here.

"Hey, shh, shh, it's alright." He cooed, dimly remembering the same gentleness from his father, as he reached up to brush away her tears with warm hands.

"You're trapped in an awful paradox. To be responsible you have fears, but every fear makes your powers tremble to fix it like a dog after a stick. What can you do? Stop viewing this as fear, that's the dark side, that part that blocks out the sun and gives the ice room to grow. It's your love of others that recedes the shadows and melts the ice. It's the love of your sister, your people, your kingdom that makes you so concerned for them. There will not be blood on your hands, you are too kind, for your ice to let anyone truly die. I have seen that for myself." She, he had heard, was in the room while the doctor fixed his back. She had seen the damage and the scars, infections and blood. She stood by and assisted through it all. That was not the work of a killer.

"Sit with me, you should have a shoulder to cry on, and for all my injury, my shoulders are fine." He joked a little, to encourage her to move to sit on his bed with him, that he could hold her and let her cry.

Was it proper, for a queen and her prisoner? No. None of it was. But he recognized that something was different.

 _'They'll never see me cry!'_

Elsa had once told herself. And yet look at her now, sitting _here_ sobbing like a child. She'd failed to conceal and not feel yet again.

Was it improper for a queen to let herself cave in and weep ( especially in front of a man she'd ruled her _prisoner_ )? By all means, yes. Ill-advised? Most certainly. Starting to lament it? Without a doubt. But, had it been a _mistake_? That was something that was yet to be determined.

She nodded at his offer, shifting her body to sit next to his (once he sat), with little to no reluctance. She was already weeping, it could be no worse to allow herself some solace. 

Elsa slightly leaned her head upon his shoulder. One hand grasping at his shirt.

"I'm sorry," she muttered under her breath. 

Hans pulled Elsa closer so she could rest against his chest. In truth, it was not his shoulder he felt she needed, but the rest of him. To be held and recognize another human being close to her, recognizing her pain.

"You never need to apologize to me. You did nothing to me that I didn't do to myself." He assured gently. It had been his choices, his responses that got him where he was. He stroked her hair and held her as if they had always been friends, or perhaps as something else. 

"Cry all you like, I'll not tell a soul. Sometimes it's all we can do to stay sane. And when you're done, I'll make a fool of myself to brighten your spirits, make you laugh." 

Even weeping, she was beautiful. It was a heart-rending scene, and in a way, he was glad he was a prisoner there. It was easier, he suspected, to give secrets to a man who could have none of his own. To someone who would speak to no-one. By rights, Arendelle, and Isles law, he was hers to command, and he had no problems with that. He wondered if she fully recognized that.

Elsa's body naturally tensed up at the shift, though she didn't not resist Hans pulling her closer. His embrace was warm, much like that of the blankets she would often nestle herself in, when she sought comfort from Anna and a cup of cocoa.

She did not try to force her tears to stop, fearing it might cause her to sob even harder than just allowing them to flow. Even if she hated feeling so vulnerable crying, it did seem to be easing her aching heart.

His gentle hair stroking was soothing. For the longest time she heard nothing but the sounds of her own whimpering. Her ear was pressed up against his chest, she tried to focus her attention on Hans' respiration, his breath was calm and steady compared to hers, she slowly tried to make hers replicate his. She closed her eyes and listened more attentively to hear his heart, it's beat soft and it's rhythm calming. 

After staying like that for a while, her tears had stopped flowing and she felt she had calmed down significantly. 

She slowly shifted, bringing up her hands pushing her palms against face brushing away the remnants of her tears. She looked up at Hans as she sat up.

"Thank you, " Elsa whispered, followed by a sniffle.

"Of course." Hans assured, watching her with softness in his eyes. "Did I tell you about the depth of symbolism, in a man of the Isles surrendering his sword? It is to a noble similar to giving up a crown. My loyalties are yours." Maybe he shouldn't have said it, but he thought that perhaps it might distract her from her woes. He reached up to help dry her eyes, affectionate and caring. He had some fondness for her, even if he really shouldn't have.

Elsa's heart skipped a beat and felt her face flushing. She wasn't sure if it was brought about by: the softness green eyes, the weight of his words or maybe their proximity was finally sinking in, all three together were a bit overwhelming.

"Uh-I wasn't aware of that." she said, shaking her head. "You only told me was that the surrender sword belonged to me now and you couldn't have another unless gifted back by Arendelle, I believe." Elsa tried her best to keep eye-contact but her blue eyes kept dancing back and forth trying to escape his gaze.

"Yes, it goes a little deeper than that. It's a willing lack of defense. What's more, Nobody held a knife to my throat or threatened my family. I came willingly and gave you my sword, my loyalties are yours and your command is mine to take. Even if I were to receive lands, unless a sword is gifted to me first, they would traditionally fall to you instead. Of course, whether or not that works in _practice_ is another question, it's a medieval tradition in this modern age. But I like to hold to our sword traditions. A prisoner, of course, has no rights to weapons or lands to begin with. But I'd have given over my sword anyway. Else, why bother getting a facsimile made? It was only a symbolic fill-in, there's no purpose to that for a prisoner who didn't come willingly. Hm, _all this to say,_ I can have my uses. If that use is to be a confidant, then that's my use. I certainly won't judge you for your tears, one of us should be able to have them." He reached up a hand to brush his thumb below her eye, as if to wipe away any remnants of tears she may have had. He did have some fondness for her. Maybe he shouldn't have, but he did. 

Maybe in a way he always had.

Hans was _supposed_ to be her prisoner, but he definitely wasn't one anymore, she didn't know what he was to her now, exactly. A friend perhaps? Not quite, but he most certainly seemed to have become an incidental confidant. She no longer saw him as a prisoner, that’s for sure, something prevented her from seeing him as such, his humanity perhaps or maybe something else. Whatever it was Elsa was just now starting realizing she might have gotten herself in too deep.

Hans' thumb brushing against her skin made her whole face tingle. Her face felt unbearably warm, either from the heat coming off his skin or from the flush growing warmer, most likely both. She didn't understand why a simple touch had made her reaction in such a way, when she had been far closer to him mere moments ago.

"Thank you," she replied to his words, not knowing how else to respond, being slightly flustered.

Hans hesitated a moment there, though to what end was anyone's guess. 

"Cold will reduce the evidence of tears, I daresay you have that handled. I imagine you've been here a fraction too long for the guards' liking. Luckily, nobody asks us questions." 

He drew back from her, distancing and giving her reasons and advice, as if he was something to hide, as well as her and her tears. In his life, tears were forbidden. He hadn't had them since his childhood, at least not that he would admit. It was much more becoming on women.

When Hans began retracting himself from Elsa (and even if her face was burning because of his proximity), there was a force within her wishing he wouldn't, like the resistance of pulling two magnets apart. She had grown accustomed to his _warmness_ , in every sense of the word, and did not wish to lose it. He was absolutely right though. Elsa might overstayed her welcome, she had just broken down in tears in front of him after all, something that should absolutely not be happening, especially between a queen and her supposed prisoner. Even if she knew he was right, there was a part of her that didn't wish to leave yet. 

"You're right, I really should go...but if I leave now, my breath might still give me away." Elsa stated. "Even with no questions asked they might still assume."

Though it was true that she still had a slight puffing to her breath that she could not yet control, it might have been more of Elsa giving herself an excuse to let herself stay, if only a tad bit longer. 

Sure the guards could assume she'd been crying, but they could be assuming far worse then her shedding tears, yet that didn't really cross her mind.

Hans smiled a little in spite of himself.

"Her Majesty is right again." He admitted, amused.

"Shall I tell another amusing story then? Perhaps loudly so the guards might be entertained? We could make a game of it, see if we can make them laugh through the wall. I was never very good at Improvisation, but I might try nonetheless if it would make you laugh. Or worse, I'll try puns and jokes. I have a good many musical ones." He did like to play games and tell stories. Despite the sadness of his life, he enjoyed it when everyone was having a good time. That was the only time he liked to be noticed.


	8. The Queen's Fool

Elsa victoriously smiled to herself, at achieving a slightly longer stay. 

"Whatever you wish to do, they all sound like entertaining options, a game sounds fun, I'm quite curious to see if you can make them laugh, they are rather serious." she giggled. "I wonder how loud you have to be for them to hear?"  
 **  
**

"Well I imagine we'll find out!" Hans remarked lightly. "This is the part where I make a bleeding fool of myself to make a Queen laugh. What better use for prisoners, ey?" He suggested lightly, and took the chair Elsa had been sitting in, to lean it close to the doors, but out of their swinging path, in case they should suddenly open. He sat in it and leaned back, keeping an eye on the doors as he rocked back on the back legs of the chair in most ungentlemanly fashion.

"-But you know, your Majesty-!" He began, as if they were mid conversation, raising his voice somewhat and speaking more toward the doors, "The most involved job I had in the Navy was in dealing with the Pie shop in Tortuga. I had to deal with all the _pie-rates."_ He suggested, with a grimace at the awful wordplay.

"Feel free to boo that one, it was _awful._ Ah, but I could tell you the sad tale of the chicken farm left out of most versions of Macbeth. Too bad, it involved a _Murder Most Fowl."_ He couldn't help but be a bit amused by that one. He was a sucker for Shakespeare jokes.

"I'm quite fond of dancing, you know. Practiced with all the maids at home. One asked me, 'Doesn't it make you dizzy, to waltz so often?', so I simply told her 'One must get used to that, you know, I'm afraid that's the way of the _whirled'."_

He spoke loudly to try and make sure the guards could hear, and always with a glance toward the door, trying to listen for any stifled snickers, grinning a little by the end. He was clearly racking his brain for the best dumb jokes, to try and get a giggle out of the Guards-- and out of Elsa.

Elsa's smile grew wider and wider, so wide that it hurt her cheeks. 

Like her smile, Elsa's laughter grew with each joke from a soft giggle to a hearty laugh.  
  


She wasn't sure if she actually laughing at the jokes themselves or more of the overdramatic antics of his delivery. 

Seeing Hans trying so hard to cheer her up with his jokes warmed her heart, it was hard for her not to smile for that alone.

As Hans finished his last joke:  
  


"What's going on in there?" wondered a voice, not belonging to the guards, in the hall.

  
The doorknob began turning.

  
"Hey!"

  
"Wait!"

  
The door already opening. The way the door opened obscured the view of who was entering from Elsa, yet Hans could see leaning up close to the door.

  
A short walking snowman entered the room before the guards could stop him.

Hans was perplexed, at first. One could almost see in real-time how his brain processed.

_Human shape?_

_Too small._

_What's that?_

_NOT HUMAN_

_WHAT._

All that to say, Hans went from casually leaning back in his chair, to standing on it, looking down from a few feet up, agile as a cat in less time than it took to say his name. He even balanced it on two legs again, somehow, and didn't seem the least bit bothered by the difficulty of his balancing act.

"What in God's holy name--?!" He managed, looking for all the world like a startled cat-- and yet still managing to keep the chair's balance as he stood on it. 

Once he determined it not to be a threat, he stepped it back down to four legs, but he was clearly no less tense about the strange creature. 

"Good god, she had a snow baby." He remarked with an overdramatic gesture to the snowman, just to make Elsa laugh again. As if his looking like a startled cat and standing on a chair wasn't funny enough. "I _have_ to know, is this one in line for the crown?" Hans wasn't often scared for his life, so if he sensed a threat in Olaf, he would probably _still_ have quips. It was just the _surprise_ that set him to standing on the chair.

The door _actually_ opening startled Elsa. Especially, when she realized who'd entered. Her eyes grew wide and her skipped a beat. She got on her feet as quickly as Hans had jumped on the chair.

"Oh no!" Elsa uttered. Quickly making her way to the door, fearing that if _he_ was here, her sister might be close by as well.

"Hi. I'm Olaf!" greeted the childlike snowman, waving his stick hand at Hans.

Hans lacked whatever fear Elsa had, and instead stepped down from his chair and crouched down to Olaf's height, quite curious.

"Hello Olaf, I'm Hans." He offered a hand for a handshake, as much curiosity as politeness. He looked like he was greeting a child, but for the clear perplexity about his person.

"Have you heard of me yet? I imagine you probably have." He was curious to see how the little snowman's attitude would change when he knew what monster he was greeting.

'Ah! What was he thinking?' Elsa internally screamed. How was Hans revealing himself so nonchalantly? If he told Olaf, the little snowman was bound to tell Anna, and she couldn't let that happen. 

"Hans?" Olaf pondered, as he shook Hans hand. "Like that evil Prince that locked up Anna leaving her to die and tried to kill Elsa?"

Elsa let out a slight cough as if clearing her throat, wordlessly warning Hans to refrain himself from disclosing more information to the young curious snowman.

"O-olaf! What are you doing here?" Elsa interposed, as she shot the guards outside an icy glare letting them know the question had _really_ been directed at them.

"We're sorry, your Majesty," both man sheepishly apologized. Elsa was truly disappointed, they had one job and they'd easily been trumped by a childish snowman. Imagine if the intruder had been Anna instead of Olaf. Hans had been right her guard was in serious need of retraining.

Elsa quickly scanned the hall with her eyes as she closed the door behind her. Luckily, it looked like the hall was clear.

"Oh, Elsa! You're here too?" Olaf bubbly replied. "Isn't it funny? This comical man shares the same name as the awful Prince from the Southern Isles." Elsa winced. "But you'd _never_ be alone in a room with _that_ guy." Elsa let out a sigh of relief and a nervous laugh, never had she been more grateful of Olaf's childlike naivety. "I was just passing by when I saw the guards snickering outside the door and heard jokes coming from here, I just had to see what was going on." He'd finally answered the question she'd asked. " Is this guy a _clown_?" he asked. "Sorry, Hans the Clown, but I've never heard of you before," Olaf briefly interjected. "I didn't know the castle had a clown." He continued his rambling, until Elsa interrupted him.

"Olaf, where's Anna?" Elsa asked, trying to find out if her sister was near.

"Oh, Anna's with Kristoff," the snowman answered. "Do you want me to go get her, so she can hear the clown's jokes too?" He asked turning towards the door, his hand already gripping the doorknob.

" No, no, no, no, no," she repeated frantically, waving her hands in front of her. "Please don't go tell Anna!"

"Why?" He asked in a serious tone as he turned to look at her suspiciously, as she stood there nervously. "Wait!" he cried out excitedly. "Is this a surprise for Anna?" he asked all bubbly again. "I love surprises! If he's a surprise for Anna, her birthday is coming up, I promise not to tell! I don't want to ruin the surprise for her."

Oh, Hans would _definitely_ be a surprise for Anna, no doubt about it, but not in the whimsical way Olaf was imagining.

Hans couldn't help but be amused. "I believe in that line if profession I would be considered the Queen's Fool." Hans corrected, amused. He would acquiesce to Elsa's demands, and weave stories in the process. 

"I'm simply a traveling fool who got injured. Her Majesty has allowed me to rest here awhile. Would you like to stay for some stories?" He did his best to distract Olaf, while Elsa fussed. _Technically,_ he considered what he had said to be true, he was a fool, he had traveled there, he was injured, and he was allowed to stay in the castle to heal. He was just omitting some details. 

"I'm not worth the Princess' time at the moment, I'd have to heal up and prepare some material before I could entertain properly, you know. But stories, I have plenty. Whether true or fiction is another question."

Elsa was glad Hans had picked up on her cue.

Olaf gasped with excitement. 

"You tell stories? I love stories! Can I hear one?" asked the small sentient snowman, before Elsa could cut in.

"Well of _course_ little snow-prince!" Hans assured sweetly, the mask of the fool sliding on as quickly and easily as a pair of gloves. As he spoke, he scooped up the snow-man and set him on the chair Hans had been standing on, himself stepping back to take a more active role in storytelling. He buttoned his shirt in haste while he considered the story, and rolled up his sleeves as if to dispel any questions.

"Now, _Once upon a time,_ for all good stories must start that way..." He paused, as if to think a moment. "There was a prince of mirrors named Simon, a Queen of spiders, and a sword of truth." He grinned a little. His hands flitted across the scene, marking characters and their feelings, without representing them like puppets. His hands were simply indicators of place and mood, seemingly always moving, to capture Olaf's attention.

"Prince Simon was a clever young man, a swordsman, an adventurer, a sailor-- but he was, himself, a mirror. He could only reflect others, either how they themselves were feeling, or what they wanted him to be. On one of his many adventures, he stepped into a dark cave, with a torch held high in the darkness. With the water dripping from stalactites and collecting in pools of inky water on the floor, drip-drip-drip, he walked through the darkness unafraid, until he heard the skittering of eight legs tapping across the floor." His hand substituted nicely for the spider. 

"But deep in the darkness, he could spy a glint of gold, so he walked on, and on. As he could see in the distance that the gold was the hilt of a sword, He found one leg _stuck._ Then _another!_ Then, he could no longer _move._ When the torch slipped somewhat in his hand, he saw a slight shimmer in the air, of spider silk, wrapped around his limbs." He made as if to pluck a strand of it from the air, a broad gesture to keep Olaf's attention on him.

"'Such a handsome young man,' said the spider queen, the size of a carriage and with slavering jaws. 'I am so very hungry, but, if you answer my questions, I shall let you go,'.

But that was not the only one in the room.

_'She lies!'_ Sang a golden voice, that could only have come from the sword far away. _'Tell no lies, and I shall save you!'_ But, Simon was a mirror. He saw a liar before him, and mirrors _only_ remember what they can see before them."

"'Tell me, young man' Said the Queen, 'What is your name?'

And Simon thought, but only for a moment, before he said 'You may call me Ainsel.'

'Tell me, young Ainsel, where do you live?' she asked, treading closer on her web, with eight insect eyes peering into his.

And he thought again, and said 'Upon the earth, betwixt some trees, with grass all about, and a view of water.'

'Tell me, young Ainsel, 'pon the Earth, where in your home do you sleep?' She stepped closer, yet closer, until her pincers came all too close to his neck. 

'I sleep in a bed,' He said 'Under blankets, above the floor, with a roof far above.'

And upon that third question, the spider Queen hissed, dissatisfied with his answers. But before she could bite down on his neck and eat him for lunch, the sword of truth flew to his hand. He brushed the web aside with the sharpened blade, and fled from the cave with his newfound steel companion, leaving the spider-queen hungry. She prowled the kingdom for years after, but could never find anyone called Ainsel, nor distinguish one home 'pon the earth betwixt some trees with grass all about _and_ a view of water-- let alone to find someone asleep in their bed within. And that, dear snowman, is how to handle the strange and the fey _without_ being eaten for lunch after." Hans grinned, keeping things playful and interesting, hoping to keep Olaf interested in his stories-- if only because it was something interesting to do.

Hans had already started his story before Elsa had time to oppose, but like Olaf she attentively listened to his tale, yet she was also trying to uncover the underlying meaning of his words.

At face value it was a simple story of a man handling the strange and fey without being eaten for lunch, but felt it was actually an allegory reflecting Hans' true feelings. 

It was obvious Simon was a reflection of himself. At first Elsa thought the Queen of spiders was meant to represent herself, but by the end of the story she wasn't quite sure, the spider seemed to be symbolic of something far more grim.

The Princes cunning of knowing when to tell the ‘truth’ ended up saving him from his impending demise, but maybe there was more to it than that. He'd said mirrors _only_ remember what they can see before them and before him was lying Queen, yet he told the truth on the third question which had brought the sword to his aid. Had the Prince taken a _leap of faith_ , by no longer reflecting what was in front of him, and instead trusting the sword to save him if he told the truth?

Elsa thought she'd come up with a good interpretation of the stories hidden meaning. But then again, she could very well be over-analyzing a tale just meant to entertain a child, that Hans just so happened to subconsciously add elements that sounded very much like his own circumstances.

The tale of the Prince of mirrors that shattered his reflection to gain the sword of truth and escape the clutches of the hungry Queen of spiders.

It had been an engaging story nonetheless.

Like with all the stories he had told her, Hans storytelling ability was quite captivating, even more so with the addition of his animated gestures. The care he put into crafting his story in a way to maintain Olaf's attention was quite endearing. It'd be rather hard to try to hide the smile from her face.

"Woah!" Olaf said amazement once the tale had ended. " He's good!" he directed the comment to Elsa, that made her chuckle. "Another!" begged the little snowman clapping his woody hands together.

" Olaf, that's enough for today, I think we've imposed on m-- _our_ dear fool's time long enough for one day. It's best we take our leave and let him rest now," Elsa reasoned.

Elsa mentally kicked herself for her near slip of the tongue, Hans had referred to himself as her fool, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to view him as such, let alone say it out loud. A slight blush returning to her face.

"Aw," groaned Olaf.

"Next time, little snow-prince. I'll tell you a new story next-time." He hummed, as if that were his only job in life. "Good evening, your Majesty. Rest well." He was polite and sweet as always, and he didn't seem to mind being referred to as 'dear fool'. Indeed, it was kind of amusing. He gave a polite showman's bow, to complete the picture. 

Sooner or later, though, he would have to give the Guards a lecture. Perhaps if he was a good enough prisoner, the Queen would let him take on the guards' training. What an irony _that_ would be. 

Elsa went over to help Olaf get off the chair. Her eyes found Hans' as she readied herself to head out. 

"Thank you, for indulging us," she said warmly. Her soft blue eyes telling him she was thanking him for more than just playing the fool. Elsa held Olaf's hand with one hand while her other was on the doorknob, and she slowly opened the door as she continued making sure the guards could hear. "Also for your advice about retraining the guard, it's been duly noted on my list of priorities." She said banteringly rather than out of malice. She just couldn't believe their guard had easily been breached by Olaf, it was a bit alarming actually. She flashed Hans a smile, before turning to leave.

"Bye! Hans the Fool," Olaf waved with his free hand as Elsa pulled him along with his other. 

"Your Majesty," both addressed her sheepishly as she and Olaf exited the room.

The Queen and her 'Snow-Prince' swiftly turned the corner and continued down another corridor.

Olaf tottled along, happy to hold Elsa’s hand and think a lot about what he learned that day.

"Wow, what a great story! But, Hans the Fool said he was here because he got hurt. What happened? He seemed healthy to me. Was it an inside hurt?" He proposed. Olaf didn't quite have the knowledge to recognize Hans' torso of bandages, he just thought it was a weird undershirt. Maybe that was why he didn't seem to mind the fact that his shirt had been unbuttoned when he had arrived.

"Hm?" Elsa looked down at the curious snowman. Not knowing how or if she should answer his questions. She slowed down her pace as she pondered. " H-he made a mistake and he got hurt because of it," she answered simply. " Inside hurt? You could say that, he's good at hiding his hurt behind his smile, that's why you didn't notice, and why I thought we should let him rest."

Like Hans she was omitting information, yet still answering truthfully.

"Oh... Why would he hide that? He's hurting so he shouldn't hide that, right?" Olaf proposed. "Why would someone do that?" He didn't know Elsa's habit of hiding emotions. He was too naive to know that.

"Some people hide it...because they think it's easier for them, they don't want other people to worry," she spoke from experience.

Olaf frowned a bit. He thought it was wrong, but didn't quite have the reasoning or explanation for why it was.

"What kind of mistake did he make? Isn't it weird that he has the same name as Hans? D'you think he knows Evil Hans?" Those questions were easier to think of and ask.

Oh uh, he was asking too many questions all of which she was reluctant to answer. 

"Uh," She let out a nervous chuckle. " Olaf, I don't think all that is important. All that matters is that he's here with us now and he's getting better." Elsa said in an attempt to stop his curious questions.

"Hm. But I want to knooowww." Olaf whined. But he smiled and giggled a little. "Well he sure is _Hansome."_ Olaf giggled at his own pun. "Oh I'm clever, I should try being a fool."

"Oh, Olaf," she gave a lighthearted laugh as she shook her head. "You know what? If your so curious about him, you can go visit him again...tomorrow." she stopped and knelt down in front of him. " Just remember, don't tell Anna." she said as she vertically put her index finger across her lips.

"Hmmmm- Okay!!" Olaf chirped, jumping in the air excitedly.

He was kind of a loudmouth, but he could try. And thankfully, he was easily distracted from things. Even if he didn't remember not to tell, it was a dice roll whether he would remember it at all. "Are you gonna be there, too? Are you learning all his stories?"

"Yes, I'm learning all his stories," she smiled. "I'll try to go as soon as I can, if I can even find the time," she let out a sigh as her smile began to fade, "But tomorrow might be a little busy for me, trying to get the guards retraining all figured out and that's a lot of paperwork." Her head hurt just thinking about it, but it was necessary for the well-being of Arendelle.

"Aw, they're nice guys, why do they need re-training?" Olaf was... not the brightest. But he was a child. It was to be expected.


	9. Storming the Castle

"Ah, the little snow-prince returns!" Hans greeted Olaf pleasantly the next day, surprised that he saw Olaf without Elsa.

But he was asked for a story, and a story he would give. Without Elsa there, he knew it would be dangerous-- but he wanted to try to tell  _ his _ story. 

"Now here's a story you'll think you know-- but I'm going to turn it on its head for you. The best sorts of stories are the ones that you think you know, until they twist in unexpected directions. Now, this is the story of the Mirror Prince -but not the same one as before,- the Snow Queen, and the kind-hearted Princess..."

He told the story of how he landed in Arendelle, how a mirror saw someone in need of love, and felt it also needed love; how the two mistook it for true love, and so on. He told the story of someone who hardly knew magic meeting it in person, of the mirror meeting the Queen and seeing fear, and all the things Hans had told Elsa, without using their names, leaving out some details --perhaps simply because he didn't know them. He never exchanged words with Kristoff, he knew nothing of the trolls, he only knew bits and pieces. 

"And so, to bring back the summer and to end the winter, the Mirror Prince raised his sword--" He stopped. Something sounded wrong. 

"Hold that thought." He got up and moved to the door to listen. Commotion in the halls, pounding at far doors. 

"Get under the bed, little snow-prince, and hide in silence. There's trouble." He warned. And him without anything he could use as a weapon.

Well, he had a chair. As a last resort, perhaps. He moved to the door and opened it. The guards hadn't locked it, so they could check on him, and he had never tried it. It was surreal to exit his own makeshift cell. 

"What's going on?" He asked, hoping the guards had stayed to find out. And if not, at least that meant he could look for a weapon, to help them.

The guards had not bothered to lock the door, leaving in a hurry to address the more pressing matters, instead of worrying about babysitting an injured prince.The hallway was completely deserted. Outside air seemingly more frigid than inside the room. 

There was a cacophony of noises resonating through the corridors. The sound of heavy footsteps running. Shouts loud enough to be heard but mostly unintelligible. 

Finally after a moment of attentive listening there was echoing voices clear enough to be made out:

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!"

"What's going on?" Olaf asked himself, ignoring the orders Hans gave and standing right beside him. The little snowman was both naïve and unafraid.

"We're under attack, little snow-prince. Hide under the bed like I told you, and wait, else you'll take your life into your own hands. I've got to find a sword." Hans frowned, especially at the ice. Poor Elsa was afraid-- and where was Anna? He supposed he would figure it out when he got to a crossroads. 

"Quick, where's the nearest sword? Something meant for display will do, a rapier hanging on a wall, perhaps? Or a tall candle holder, in a pinch." He needed to move, but he needed a sword before he could be effective. He left the door open and ducked behind the wall to ask Olaf, suspecting the snowman would know the castle better than he would. "Before I was a fool, I was a man of the Navy." It was true. More true than perhaps he wanted to admit. He was a fool now, if not a prisoner. But whether it was the mental fool or the job title of Fool, he couldn't quite decide.

"Under attack? Sword?" Olaf said thinking for moment. "Oh! I know where, follow me!!" said the little snowman running down the hall without a second thought. He wasn't going to tell him, he was going to show him.

Hans sighed, concerned for the little snowman, but glanced out and followed after in a hurry. It seemed Olaf wouldn't be swayed, but Hans had no time to argue. He needed a sword so he could join alongside Arendelle's guards. He just needed something that would hold together under the stress of a sword fight. And if it could do damage, all the better.

All the havoc seemed to be happening further within, making the corridors the fearless little snowman guided the foolish prince through miraculously desolate. Olaf had astonishingly lead the prince to a trophy room, that was more like decorative arsenal, especially in the moment.

Hans was almost perplexed. "Twice now, things I've seen here that simply don't belong." 

He mused, briefly. But he shook it off, and found the closest weapon he could grab to his old Bastard sword. 

"Traditions will forgive this one breach." He decided.  _ "Please, _ stay safe, and hide. What would Elsa do if she saw you running about in danger?" He ignored the fact that the same could be said of him. "I'm going to defend Arendelle, as best I can." He tied the display sword to his waist and tested the edge. Not sharp enough to cut through armor, but perhaps enough to out through soft bits. It would have to do.

Without another word, he bounded off, sword in hand. He would repel invaders, advise guards, and defend whichever lady needed him first.

"Press in! Repel them back and hold the line!" He called as he neared the action, looking to see where the danger was-- and where it was going. Listening for any sound that might indicate where the women were.

"Stay back! I got a candle holder and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Princess, please stand back, let us handle it."

"No! I got to go find Elsa!"

"Oh, if there's a god, forgive me." Hans sighed, and bounded that direction, turning quickly to show he was alongside the Arendelle guards. 

"You heard her Highness, let's get her to the Queen!" He called. "Forgive the intrusion, your Highness, throw things at me later." They didn't have time to have old grudges at that moment. "I'll take the left, I can defend it better. Move forward and don't hesitate. Every step we take into their reach is a step they must move backward or be thrown!" He directed to the guards. Hans actually knew how to use a sword. He couldn't be as certain of their guards.

"Wait...what?" 

Anna was completely bewildered at who had come to her aid. It was the very man that left her to die, and now he was there to defend her? It was unbelievable.

There were so many questions swirling around in her mind. As if she wasn't already confused enough before his arrival, and now she was absolutely dumbstruck.

Questions crossed her mind like: What was going on? Where's Elsa? Why was  _ he _ here and why was he helping her? And most importantly, what was he doing out of the dungeon?

But, questions would have to wait, she had to find Elsa. She would disregard those questions and concerns, for the time being, if it meant reaching her sister sooner. She didn't have time to lose. 

Anna had been so sidetracked by her confusion she almost lost her grip on her heavy staff-like candle holder, luckily that brief release had snapped out of her daze.

" I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much," she assertively said as she swiftly swung the candle holder. She didn't have time to argue or be angry, she had to focus on getting to her sister, but didn't mean she had to hide her annoyance.

Hans ducked out of her way, certainly. 

"Well hurry, then! I'm going the same direction, they'll be after the Queen, and you after! These are Weselton men!" He warned. The men had the clarity to separate the two at any given chance, which left a lot of men between them and the Queen, it seemed, and Hans ended up on Anna's side of the separation. 

Without worrying about the rest, he turned into the fight, attacking at a man in a full wool coat -for this was no longer the medieval age of full armor- and slicing hard at his calves to make the man buckle in pain. His sword wasn't sharp enough to cut into the wool, but it was heavy and wielded well enough to break the bones and make it too painful for the other man to be a significant hindrance in the fight. He picked up the man's offhand sword instead. Hans wasn't trained in, nor fond of guns. But he could use a cutlass fairly well, and it would at least cut. A better option than the dull one he had borrowed. 

There was no time to think about the details of who it came from. They had a lot of people to cut through. He wouldn't think much about the people or the danger, he only had to reach Elsa, and ensure that she was safe. They could sort the rest out, after.

\--

"Stand-down!" Elsa urged. "I don't wish to harm you!" 

The invading men did not heed her warning, and continued to press on. Trying their best to enclose her to be able to overpower her.

Elsa was at the epicenter of chaos, in the middle of the grand hall. Scattered across the ground lay the bodies of men (both friend and foe), yet none of her men were left standing alongside her, the Captain had been the last to fall. Her soldiers had fought bravely to try to protect her, but to no avail, they had been outnumbered and overtaken, and now solely Elsa remained.

She stood alone, shielding herself with her ice. Large icicles encompassed her barricade to fend off against the attackers. In fact, frost encased the entire room, causing a light snowfall to occur. Elsa felt completely cornered, very much reminiscent of the attack on the North Mountain, but this time she wasn't alone, there were people she had to protect and other people's lives at risk, making her even more panic-stricken.

She'd mostly been on the defensive rather than the offensive, afraid to lose control, and mortally wound someone by accident. She really didn't wish to harm anyone, especially not her own men, they were already putting their lives on the line in order to protect her. In other words, she'd been holding herself back out of sheer fear. But luckily, aside from just herself, she'd also managed to hold back the assailants as well.

Elsa tried her best to combat intruders, but it felt as if she was fighting against a Hydra, it seemed like for every enemy soldier she hindered two more appeared in their place. She was overwhelmed and outnumbered.

"Elsa?!" Anna cried in search of her, the voice resonating from a nearby corridor. 

"Anna..." Elsa murmured at the sound of her younger sister's voice. She had come to look for her, of course she did, it was in her nature. It sounded like she was alive and well, which was a relief, but that may not be the case for long, if proceeded to reach her. If Anna came to Elsa, she would be walking straight into the lion's den. Elsa had to do what she could to prevent her sister from getting into harm's way. To keep her sister safe she would have to start fighting more forcefully against aggressors, drawing their attention and keeping them from going after her sister. Elsa could no longer remain stagnant she had to charge!

Hans hurried through the halls toward the loudest chaos and coldest air, knowing Elsa would be there-- and must still be alive. When he entered, he saw the mess and hesitated-- then got a wonderfully stupid idea.

"Elsa! The floor! ICE THE FLOOR!" He called. Anyone in Arendelle could surely navigate some ice, but it would be much more difficult for attackers. 

With that, and no time to waste, he threw himself into the fray, ducking low and cutting at legs, or darting high to slice at a throat, knowing he couldn't trust a stranger's sword any better than a prop. 

"Where's your snow monster when you need him, ey Elsa? too warm for the snow cavalry?" He joked in the midst of combat, never minding the blood.

But there were a  _ lot _ of enemies. He couldn't win a one-man charge against them all-- he just wanted to win enough to distract them.

The sudden ring of Hans voice made her shiver. What was he doing here? Did that really matter right now? No. In fact, his arrival seemed to have swept a sense of calmness over her, making the snowfall suddenly stop.

Elsa instantly trusted his judgement and iced the floor. With the icy ground some men began to lose their footing. The floor had now become her domain, she could now easily shift the ice sheets underneath causing more men to topple over. She began pushing men away from her and pinning them again the walls. 

"And where do you suppose I fit them? It's crowded enough in here already, wouldn't you agree?" she answered back, as she continued to shove enemies out of her way, trying to clear a path to reach him.

There were countless reasons she hadn't created a snow monster, aside from its sheer size. She feared she could not control it with her emotions running rampant. She didn't want her own men to incidentally incur it's wrath. But the main reason being she just didn't have time to waste.

Hans laughed a little, taking it a bit like a joke. He ran in, or rather  _ skated, _ for he knew better than to try to find traction in her domain, using what little traction he could get to press into the fray and continue knocking enemies down.

A bugle called attention from the back, as Kristoff charged in on Sven's back. "Need help?" He proposed, drawing a bow and arrow from his shoulders, to pick off anyone foolish enough to get near his girlfriend. Elsa may have had problems with killing, but to Kristoff, he was just hunting wolves, and put arrows in wherever he needed. 

"Who's side is the fox on?" He called.

"Yours!" Hans barked back.

"Good, one more arrow for them!" Kristoff picked off one headed for Hans, and Hans ducked away, making his way through the crowd to get to Elsa's side and block a sword strike there. 

"My apologies for picking up a sword, but this seemed like a bad time for sticking to tradition." He quipped, turning to help her. They had bigger problems, Hans just automatically quipped a lot.

"Arendelle will readily grant a sword to anyone bound to protect it." Elsa reassured, as she offered him an ice sword for good measure. 

She understood how much sword traditions meant to him and wanted to acknowledge them with a symbolic gesture. She had briskly conjured the ice blade in her right hand as she continued defending with her left. With Hans now supporting her, countering against the raiders had become less rigorous.

Hans hesitated a moment, seeming surprised and taken aback. But they had no time for discussing why. He moved the saber to his off-hand and took the ice blade, ignoring the sting of the chill against his bare skin. Now he could use the saber to defend, and the icy blade to slice through wool and cause real damage. 

Kristoff kept to the outskirts of the battle until he could charge through with Sven and scoop Anna up in a hurry. 

"Well for once, Princess Fiestypants, I'm the one doing the saving." He joked. He actually did save her fairly often, but he joked because she always seemed to be ready to throw down. "Remind me to teach you how to use a bow and arrow later." For now, she could keep using the candlestick. It seemed to be pretty useful.

Hans stepped into attacks and used a solid thrust any time he could get enough time to use it, pressing back to try and give Elsa more space as the numbers dwindled, and the remaining guards staff collected to help overrun the invaders. Injured as they were, between the Ice Queen and her 'Knight' helping her, to say nothing of Anna and Kristoff pulling enemies from the outskirts, they were able to spread the invaders thin.

"In the name of the Southern Isles, throw down your swords!" He barked over the din, striking out at any enemy close enough and getting blood on both his sword, and his clothes. He looked like a ragged mess, and that was without taking into account the back wounds. He managed to catch the pommel of someone's sword in his face, but when he fell, he lashed out at their thighs and got right back up, ignoring the blood in his teeth. He wasn't missing any teeth, he figured he would be fine.

Elsa had seen Hans get knocked down, she was concerned he had been stuck pretty hard, she knew he'd downplay the pain. Hans was not the only one that wouldn't willingly reveal how worn they actually were at the moment, Elsa was pretty strained herself. Her breath was heavy and there was a slight tremble to her hands. She had never exerted her powers to this extreme before, she had never actually tested the limits of her magic, up until now they've seemed limitless. And maybe her  _ powers _ were really endless, but the same couldn't be said about her stamina, she was only human after all (even if she kept forgetting), she herself had limits.

Everybody has their breaking point and seems hers was rapidly approaching. She suddenly felt lightheaded causing her to stumble back. Her powers momentarily misfired, leaving her unprotected and giving her opponents the opening they'd been waiting. The remaining men charged at her all at once.

"Elsa!" Anna cried, as two men managed to reach her sister.

She'd regained her stability and raised her hands to shield herself with a wince. There was slight lag in her ice returning, but fortunately she had been able to create an ice shield in time to stop the blades momentum. Unfortunately she had not been unscathed. One sword only managed to graze her cheek, while the other did far more damage. The second blade had cut into her shoulder, it was a pretty deep cut, but not deep enough reached the bone, but was still gushing out a lot of blood. Her struck arm fell limp at her side. It was excruciatingly painful, but she had to endure it, there were still assailants after her. She had to hurry and be ready to defend herself again. She knew she couldn't look at her wound or she'd surely go into shock. Instead, she quickly cauterized the wound with her functional hand.

Hans growled and got up in a hurry to defend Elsa from any further attacks. 

"Keep pressure on the wound and take breaths, I've got you." He assured, ignoring his own wounds. In spite of his valiant fight and skills, the blossom of red near his waist didn't look like the spatter of someone else's blood, especially while it was still growing. 

But he made a promise that he had her back, therefore he did. They quite literally fought to the last, and Hans made certain to put an end to the swords that had damaged her, first. 

Between he and Kristoff's arrows, the end came as quickly as the beginning.

Hans knelt as soon as there were no attackers, and applied pressure to his own wound.

"No injuries, Reindeer man? I'm sorry, I'm not sure I have your name."

"Kristoff. I'm alright."

"Kristoff. Would you be another help and go fetch as many doctors as possible, then? I daresay we need them." Hans tried to keep his tone even, but it was clear he had reached exhaustion.

"I know some healing. Anna, can you get the doctors with Sven? I can help here until more arrive." Kristoff moved to Elsa first.

"Don't you dare do the self-sacrificing thing now, your Majesty, fools do not get treated before the Queen." Hans joked to Elsa privately, with a little amused smile.

Anna had dashed off with a nod, entrusting Elsa in Kristoff's care.

"... You fool," Elsa huffed teary-eyed. She knew he was in far worse condition than her, and yet again he was hiding it behind his smile. Elsa was in so much pain by this one gash, she didn't know how Hans could have so much resolve to continuously hide all his afflictions, that were without a doubt exponentially greater than her own. She couldn't help but cry for the both of them.

Elsa knew she couldn't have argued anyway, Kristoff would have healed her first regardless if she requested else wise. She was his sister as well as the Queen, while Hans was a foolish fox.

"Yes, but the  _ Queen's _ fool." Hans remarked with an amused smile. He found a place to sit, plopping down heavily on whatever nearest thing was raised, whether that was a short table or a body, with the bloodstained point of his sword at his shoes. He put pressure on his wound and focused on breathing, flexing his sword-hand as he pulled it away from the ice. "I hope the Captain of the Guard is okay, I daresay I owe him my life, I hope this is well enough." He muttered to none in particular.

Kristoff ran for a first-aid kit and some clear spirits.

"This will hurt," he warned, and poured her a shot. "Drink" He ordered, and waited until she had, to clean the wound with some of the rest, apply pressure, and sew it up with sterilized needle and thread, also sterilized in the burning alcohol. He made sure the wound was bleeding -cutting it, if necessary after the cauterizing- and sewed it together so it would heal properly. Then, he bandaged it up and cleaned and bandaged the wound on her cheek, which wasn't so damaging.

"I'll make a salve for these later, so it might leave less scarring." He assured. "Are you feeling okay? Deep breaths, it's all over." He spoke with a calm, soothing voice to make sure she would be well before he could move on to Hans. He could tell he was important there, perhaps more a priority than the guards.

"Anyone still walking? Help me order who needs help first. Our men worse than theirs, our best off then theirs. Leave the dead lay." Kristoff called. "Not you two, you two are done." He added to the royals.

"Gut wounds and hurt necks stay put, everyone breathing will be cared for. Do  _ not _ remove arrows." He called, in the hopes someone would listen and help out. Kristoff hoped Anna wouldn't take long.

"As good a time as any to start re-training the guard." Hans mused.

"Quiet, you've lost a lot of blood." Kristoff warned.

"Nonsense..." Hans muttered, but quieter. He didn't want to argue too much.

Elsa gazed at Hans from a short distance. She stood before him, her injured arm resting in a sling across her chest. Kristoff had made her a sling to keep the pressure off her shoulder. 

"Please...stop," Elsa said softly, as she shot Hans a concerned look. His tough guy act was starting to take a toll on her.

Hans glanced at her with a somewhat apologetic smile, and sighed before scooting back to the floor and lying back, resting the ice sword across his body very casually. It was hard not to-- he didn't have a sheath, just a bloody sword. 

She asked him to stop, so he didn't offer any witticisms or an 'as you wish', just let it sit implied while Kristoff stepped over.

"Alright, 'queen's fool', let's see what you've got." 

"Oh, don't tell me not to talk then set me up for jokes." Hans laughed a little, then cringed and grunted a bit from the pain.

"Yeah, that's why I told you not to talk. Smartass." Kristoff started cleaning the wound, and grimaced a bit at it. "You're quite a soldier, getting stabbed and still fighting."

"Navy man." Hans reminded, but kept his voice down and didn't fuss while Kristoff looked him over. 

"Yeah well, you're about to get stabbed a lot more, with needle and thread, when the doctor gets here. Apply pressure and don't move, I want a real doctor to look at this, not an herbalist." Kristoff provided clean gauze, but checked Hans for other injuries too. A few here and there, bruises and lighter cuts, but the stab wound to the side was the worst of it. 

"It doesn't look bad to me, but I'm good for smaller wounds." He managed to see the edge of Hans' scars, though-- and he had certainly noticed the fresh bandages. "What in Hel's name happened to you?"

_ "Navy man." _ Hans repeated with a grunt, a little drier.

"Pretend I didn't ask." Kristoff decided he didn't want to know the details. Hans nodded his head just slightly, and stared at the ceiling in silence, instead while they waited for a real doctor.

Kristoff took to helping with triage, but did keep an eye on Hans to make sure he was still breathing and well, while he helped check up on Arendelle soldiers first-- then their enemies. In case there were any left. 

Anna and Sven returned with the doctors they set out to find, as well as medical supplies, Aredellean citizen's ready to lend a hand however they can and of course Olaf. 

Anna glanced over at Hans for a brief moment as, ran up to Elsa and hugged her around the neck from her non-injured side.

"Elsa! Are you alright? I was so scared, especially when I saw those two men-"

"Shh, it's all over now. I'm fine Anna. It's only a scratch, Kristoff already patched me up, see," Elsa said softly as she stroked her sister's hair.   
  
Anna said nothing about Hans, now wasn’t the time, all that mattered was that her sister was okay. 

Kristoff sent the closest doctor to Hans, and started taking direction from the castle doctor, to help and offer guidance where it was relevant. Kristoff knew more than most doctors about herbs (and would absolutely defend their use, in medicine or in cooking).

Hans heard Olaf wandering around, and waved that direction without looking up.

"How is the little snow-prince, hm? I'm afraid the rest of the tale will have to wait. Did you figure out the twist ending?" He asked, hoping Olaf would entertain conversation, even while the doctor sewed him up. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain well and truly setting in.

"No opiates, doctor, whatever pain there is, I'll chance it." He added as an aside, but he already sounded like he was regretting that as the doctor went about sewing up his insides. He didn't try to look around, just held still and stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus through the pain, occasionally gritting his teeth. Yes, even his pain tolerance had its limits.

" Oh no! You're hurt Hans the Fool," Olaf said with concern as he walked up to him.

"I am, yes. That's what happens when you go swinging swords about." Hans agreed, then paused to deal with a spasm of pain, so as not to react in a bigger way. His tone always seemed so even, but it didn't reflect in his face. 

"But you're unhurt? I was worried in the halls. You hid like a good little prince, then?" He proposed. He knew full well that  _ surely _ the snowman wasn't actually in the line for the crown, but since Elsa had never actually answered him, he couldn't help but find the idea rather cute, and continue using the little nickname in spite of himself.

" Oh, I can't get hurt, melt maybe, but Elsa figured out how to make permafrost so that won't happen anymore, I can reconfigure myself if my head falls off, I got impaled once," Olaf rambled with a laugh. "I wasn't hiding, I went to go get Kristoff and Sven, but they left so fast they forgot to take me with them."

Hans chuckled once, but grunted from the pain that brought, and shifted uncomfortably.

"As have I, it seems." He joked, through pain.

"You're a clever little thing, do you suppose this ice sword will melt? It seems so much more solid than I'd expect." He wanted to know, was this a one-time gesture? Or would it last?

He supposed the answer didn't truly matter, Elsa could wave it away with the brush of her hand. But, he wanted the little bit of hope. He was being sentimental, perhaps.

But, the gift of -not just a sword- but a  _ new _ sword, better than the one he had been given? That was a statement. He wasn't sure if Elsa had forgotten them, or if she understood the tradition better than he thought.

He supposed he would have to wait until she visited him again. 

"More infections to come with this, no doubt." Hans muttered, and closed his eyes to the pain. 

"Do you have any stories of your own, Olaf? I should like to hear them over the next few weeks. I imagine I shall need the distraction." His back wounds had been mostly healed when he arrived in Arendelle. a  _ stab wound? _ Yeah, that would take some time.

" Hmm?" Olaf examined the blade closer. "Hmm," he continued to hum as he looked at it from different angles. "Well, after thoroughly examining the sword" he began. " I can say for certain, " he continued. " That... I have no idea, maybe?" He shrugged. " It is a pretty sword though, I hope it doesn't melt." 

Maybe they hadn't noticed, but Elsa had already cleared out all the unnecessary ice from the hall, leaving only what she saw useful, and the sword still remained.

"Boy, do I!" He brightly answered his inquiry about having his own stories. "I'm quite the storyteller myself," he said proudly. He was bound to talk his ear off, which Elsa and even Anna found exhausting at times.

Hans smiled, but forced himself not to chuckle. "Well, you tried." He muttered, tired and quiet. He didn't have the energy to keep fussing or being louder than necessary.

"Make sure it stays near me until it does, then, will you? Visit to tell stories. For right now... I'm very tired." He closed his eyes, and found it too difficult to open them again. He needed to rest and recover.

Still, he kept it across his body while the doctors worked. The scene was rather like a painting, a knight peacefully asleep among the wounded and the dying, wounded himself but still alive. He had lost a fair amount of blood. His eyes hadn't even fluttered when he was moved to a stretcher to be placed elsewhere.

"Your Majesty, where would you have him moved?" Not the first nor the last time Elsa would be asked that on that day, but the only time it was about Hans. "Back to his room?" The impromptu healer's dungeon, far from everywhere else?

~~*~~

She'd been delegating countless tasks, yet this one by far was definitely one of the simplest yet toughest decisions she'd have to make.

'His room?' She thought for a moment. Where that should be? Should just she send him back? She looked at him peacefully asleep with sword still near him and made up her mind.

Well, the cat was already out of the bag, though they (Anna and Elsa) had no time to discuss it yet, due to the chaos of the attack. Dealing with the aftermath of the battle was more important at the moment, than questioning why this imprudent Prince was no longer locked up in the dungeon.

It was a tough call, but she followed her heart. She directed that Hans be taken to one of the guest rooms in the main wing, on a floor below where her own sleeping quarters resided. 

Did she make the right choice? She didn't know, but knew one thing for certain: she'd have to deal with the fallout later, regardless. Though she still wasn't sure she was ready to handle what that actually entailed.


	10. Tender Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((A short, but sweet chapter for you all, hope you'll enjoy, Happy Valentines~♥!))

Hans was set in the bedroom as Elsa ordered, checked on and re-bandaged as necessary while he rested. He needed a lot of sleep to recover from everything, especially when his health had been questionable to begin with. His back was mostly better, at least, but now he had his front to worry about.

So they had him rest on his back in a more comfortable bed, the ice sword remaining nearby, as he had requested, though he was in no condition to use it. Indeed, the doctor also had to tend to the hand that had held it, somewhat damaged from the ice held so hard with no cloth between. 

Still, Hans' sleep seemed to be a peaceful one. He didn't seem fitful or pained, only restful. Perhaps he slept in the knowledge that she had gifted him a sword, and therefore restored to him a lot of what he had lost. Did Elsa truly understand the weight of it?

Elsa had spent all day dealing with the aftereffects of the surprise attack. It was a lot to oversee, but she wanted to do everything in her power to help her kingdom recover from the catastrophe that had just befallen them.

She finally allowed herself a break, and went to pay 'her fool' a visit. He seemed to still be soundly sleeping when she arrived, just as he'd been the other times she'd peeked in to check on him. Elsa quietly entered the room and walked up to the bedside.

He looked so peaceful in his slumber, it almost looked like he was smiling. She decided to watch over him for a while, so she gently sat down beside him on the bed. There was truly something entrancing about watching him sleep, his features strapping and yet so soft. 

Elsa extended her unscathed hand over his face, she'd felt tempted to lightly brush hair out of his eyes with her fingers. She noticed there was a slight bruise on his face and remembered he'd been struck pretty hard. Her knuckles lightly traced his jawline until opening her hand and lightly cupping his cheek, somewhat lost in a trance, she might let her icy hand linger.

Hans' breathing remained slow and calm, as sleep held him firmly.

Yet, after a time, he did become dimly aware-- not of his pain, first, but of the cold on his face. Not a hurtful cold, no, but more of a gentle cooling that gave him peace. He sighed a little, and just slightly tipped his injured face into her hand, before he became more aware of the pain.  _ Keenly _ aware of it. He cringed a bit, and dug his undamaged hand into the cloth of his bandages-- not as if to rip it off, simply as if he had forgotten his shirt was removed, and he had been aiming for that. He wasn't touching anywhere near his wounds, at least. 

Ah, yes, that was a  _ lot _ of pain that sleep had been hiding from him. He didn't attempt to sit up, talk, or move further. He just groaned and settled himself. At least his eyes weren't hurting. He opened his eyes and saw her, caring for him. He might have blushed if he was in any fit state to, but his blood was rather depleted at that moment, his cheeks would have to wait to receive more. 

"Ah. The best of all possible sights to wake up to, in pain." He observed, after a moment of quiet. He only spoke quietly, and he was definitely acknowledging that he wasn't well. 

It only took getting  _ stabbed _ to do that to him.

Hans waking up, startlingly brought Elsa out of her daze. Her hand quickly left his cheek and retracted to cover her mouth. Her cheeks had wasted no time in becoming deep red with embarrassment.

" Oh no! I didn't mean to wake you up," Elsa flustered. " You were sleeping so soundly, and I disrupted your slumber, I'm so sorry!"

" I really shouldn't have touched you, but your face is bruised and I thought it might be swollen." she hastily explained.

"No, no." Hans assured, flexing his hand as if to wave the thought off. "Stay, you're a comfort. I told the doctor no painkillers-- and no, it's not about my hiding pain, I promise." He was quick to add that second part. "The chill dulls the pain, stay. If you leave then I'll only be alone with it." He smiled a little, and would have chuckled, but just the thought of the moment made his wounds hurt. 

"It probably is. Someone caught me with their pommel, that was more embarrassing than injurious, I promise. A light bruise, but nothing I haven't had before. I'm not even convinced it was an intentional strike." He sighed a little, now very aware of how many gestures he made while moving-- now that he recognized he didn't want to move at all. 

"Ah, but what of you? Healing well?"

"Hm? Yes, my shoulder is a bit better, trying my best not to move it around so much. Luckily it wasn't my writing hand." she answered. "Though, I'm more worried about you. You got scratched up far worse."

Elsa might not have suffered a lot physically during the battle, it had taken a greater toll on her psychologically.

He chuckled, or at least made a sound like it, with less air movement so he wouldn't hurt as much. 

"Scratched, is a word for it. I was stabbed." He admitted, more amused than anything. 

"And that wound is  _ not _ letting me forget about it. But I'll be alright, as long as nothing gets infected. I think I've had enough infections for a lifetime, hm? Now, listen close." He gestured with his injured hand for her to sit close and pay attention.

"Your next step: Keep evidence of the Duke's treason. Swords, coats, any identifying marks the soldiers carried. Return the enemy bodies and any non-identifying goods with any living soldiers when there are enough to sail their own ship back to the Duke. They all go back on one boat, you keep any others.  _ You _ send an envoy to the Isles, and tell them that the Duke has attempted a treason on your crown under theirs. The Duke will become their problem. You may want to mention in that letter that I fought at your side with a sword you gave me. It will tell the Isles that I am here willingly and side with you, as well as that you recognize me as a noble. They'll have no arguments to stand on, if they even wanted to argue. I doubt they will, but it doesn't hurt to be secure. Any questions?" Political advice, not from the Queen's Fool, but from the once-prince, who wanted to see to it that this never happened again.

"Here, but for now, stay. Tell me your worries so I mightn't talk so much." He smiled a little, embarrassed, or perhaps just tired.

At least now he was somewhat admitting pain, even if he still hid it with jokes and humor.

Elsa paid close attention to his words of advice. Nodding along, as she took mental notes.

"Collect evidence, one boat back, send envoy to southern isles," she listed off her mental notes, mostly to herself. "Your counsel truly is much appreciated," she said sincerely. "It has already helped me with one of my many worries, Thank you."

"I shall stay, but are you sure you want to listen to my woes?" She asked. "I sort of came to escape them," she accidentally admitted aloud. " If you wished not to speak, I'm afraid you chose the wrong companion, Olaf is far more suited for that than I," she lightly laughed.

"I have so many worries I don't even know where to begin," she sighed. " Can I just say everything? I'm pretty sure it's true."

"Ah, and here I was beginning to worry you were tired of my talking." He remarked with a smile. 

"Provide some chill to numb my wounds and you can talk as long as you like. Forgive me if I drop off, it's not you, it's the lack of blood." He promised. Still, he waited to see what she had on her mind, and seemed far too attentive to risk falling asleep. He wanted little more than to know her woes.

She lightly shook her head, knowing he was probably referring to how she told him to stop after the battle.

"Oh, of course," she shifted to sit on her knees and more easily grant him the ice he requested. She hovered her hand above his bandages and began creating a light frost.

Hans sighed a little, comforted by the numbing ice. "You would have been well-suited as a nurse." He observed quietly. "Tell me your problems, then. Let me help where I may."

"I don't think I would be strong enough to be a nurse," Elsa doubted. She finished applying ice and sat sideways once more. She sighed. " Arendelle currently being defenseless is rather concerning. We're ill-prepared for another attack."

Hans nodded. "A worrisome prospect indeed," He agreed. "I may be able to assist in training, when I'm back on my feet. Is the Captain of the Guard alright? We'll have to up guard recruitment for a while, perhaps enlist some young men quickly." He paused a little and thought.

"I may have more ways of getting assistance, but I must know: What is my status, to you? Prisoner? Noble? Prince? Something else? The Isles may take your opinion of me into account, perhaps we could convince my crew, at least, to protect your sea routes, if it's authorized by the Isles." He wanted to shift up, but at even the slightest attempt to shift, he decided it hurt too much and he would just lay flat on the bed and speak toward the ceiling.

"The Captain is alright, thank goodness, but he's greatly injured as well," Elsa answered.

Elsa was not prepared to answer his second question, it caught her completely off guard. She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. What was his status to her? He was by no means her prisoner anymore. But what was he then? That she was uncertain.

"Your status? I..." Elsa was unsure. "...I don't know... something else, perhaps?" she guessed. "...An advisor, possibly."

Hans nodded thoughtfully. "And the ice sword, is that a gift, or a loan in a time of crisis? The difference matters." He would have loved to find out through tentative wordplay and tiptoeing around the subject, as was his custom, but it mattered for political reasons, and they didn't have time to be coy about it.

"A loan?" She questioned tilting her head, that idea had not crossed her mind. " It was a gift, of course, else wise it would have melted, I trust your loyalty to Arendelle."

He nodded just slightly. "I couldn't see whether it was melting or not. I only know that it was  _ very _ cold, and worked as well as steel. I haven't had the range of movement or vision to find out more." He admitted, with a bit of a calmed sigh. 

"That's good, though. I've received an improved sword to the one I gave you in surrender. To the Isles, that means I'm here because I want to be here, and I work for you because I want to. They'll have some reason to listen to me if I send them messages. ...What was I going on about, that I wanted to know that?" He closed his eyes and let his mind calibrate. The lack of blood was still affecting him greatly. 

"Ah, Yes; I still have no sway in the Isles' Navy anymore, but they may take my history with them into account if I ask them to ask my crew. In spite of the lashes, my crew is a loyal one, and they would come to aid us if I asked." He was certain of that. How he could be so certain with a carpet of cross hatching scars over his back, was anyone's guess.

Elsa noticed the ice burn on his wielding hand and looked over at the sword sitting on the bureau.

He spoke so warmly of his crew yet again. Elsa had no doubt of their loyalty, a man would not speak so well of them, after everything that transpired, if there wasn't deep camaraderie.

" We could really use all the help we can get."

He nodded. "When I'm up to sitting upright I'll write a letter, then." He assured. "Any other woes I can help you with, dear Queen?" He hummed sweetly, looking up at her. 

There was undeniable affection there, maybe just playful, but 'playful' wasn't a tone often heard from a prisoner. As he helped her in dispatching the enemies, he would help her in dispatching her fears. He never seemed to ask much in return for that, but her company always seemed appreciated.

"Thank you," she expressed with a smile. " I think you helped address my main concerns." There was still one more pressing matter on her mind, but she didn't think he could be much help with that. And, that was Anna's inevitable interrogation.

He nodded just slightly, not wanting to move much more. "Still, though you may not have much to say, I like your company. Stay with me awhile? We don't have to talk. I am just very tired, and your presence gives me some peace. Not just because of the ice." That last part was a bit of a joke, as he smiled up at her with a certain softness. Maybe he wasn't completely in his right mind, but he wanted her attention. He moved his good hand a little, to offer it to her.  _ That _ much movement didn't seem to hurt much, as long as it was a small movement from the elbow, not his whole arm. He just wanted a little bit of contact, fingers interlaced or a gentle hand-hold.

"Hm, I'll stay," she answered tenderly as she took his hand with little to no hesitation compared to the first time he'd offered it.

Just sitting in silence in each other's company, wouldn't be so bad, in fact it might have been preferable. Just feeling Hans' warmth set Elsa's mind at ease.

Hans relaxed again and seemed to settle there peacefully, closing his eyes. He wasn't sleeping, though. He couldn't. It was so very difficult to sleep with so much pain, but he didn't like the era's painkillers. If it wasn't alcohol, he'd ignore it, and his doctor had warned against alcohol with his injury. At least until he had recovered a bit, and was no longer tired from the lack of blood.

"Too tired to be awake, in too much pain to sleep." He muttered to himself with a sigh. Such was his life, it seemed.

Elsa had picked up on his murmur.

"I'm sorry," she sympathized. " Perhaps a lullaby might help." she suggested. "There's one my mother used to sing to us when we were young, it always had Anna snoring in an instant," she giggled at the bittersweet memory.

Elsa took a deep breath and without any hesitation began to softly sing.

_ Where the north wind meets the sea _

_ There's a river full of memory _

_ Sleep, my darling, safe and sound _

_ For in this river all is found _

_   
_ _ *** _ __   
  


_ Come, my darling, homeward bound _

_ When all is lost, then all is found _

\--

Hans certainly wouldn't have refused an offer like that.

He always suspected Elsa would have a lovely singing voice, it was so nice to know it was true as he looked up at her, with a fondness as if they were married-- perhaps as if they had been for some time. 

He wasn't sure what to make of the lyrics, however. Some things suited better than others.

"Was your mother a siren, or just you?" He asked, with a playful softness. It sounded like a flirt-- because it almost certainly was. A little compliment that he felt was true enough. A word of kindness he wished she would take to heart and hold there.

"A siren, huh? Well, lucky for you I don't wish you to be drowned," she bantered back, with a soft smile on her lips. She didn't register it as a flirt, it definitely went over her head. Elsa was still naive or more like blissfully ignorant about that sort of thing, or at least she wanted to make herself believe. She had openly taken his words to heart. And even if she didn't acknowledge in a flirtatious manner her face was slightly flushed at the compliment, nonetheless.

Hans hummed a little, feeling comfortable there. They'd both sung songs for one-another, there was something very sweet about that. Hers were hopeful, and his was hopeless. It was strange how that went. 

"When all is lost then all is found." He repeated thoughtfully. Yes, that seemed right. He had lost near everything of value, and in nearly losing his life once or twice, found something worth living for. "Will you visit me every day, while I heal?" He wanted more of these moments. Even if it was just her gentle touch at his face while he slept, or another lullaby.

"If you can, that is." He knew running a kingdom was a lot of work, after all. But, the kingdom felt far from them, in this room. A room he was only vaguely aware seemed different from the other room. No doubt he would get lost if he tried to walk beyond the door-- but he was also in no position to walk at that moment.

" I'll try my best to come visit, I promise," Elsa reassured him with a gentle squeeze of the hand. She was bound to check up on him, regardless of him asking, but it was nice to hear that she was not pestering him with her presence.

He smiled a little and closed his eyes again, wanting a bit of rest, and encouraged by Elsa's hand in his. The rest of their thoughts could wait, for when he was well enough to have a prolonged conversation.


	11. Spilling the Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Sorry for the late update, life got in the way, I've been busy doing other things, but a bit depressed because of the passing of my friend Rhanda over on the Helsa discord server I can't believe it's been a month already, but I do hope to be posting more often again.))

It had been almost a fortnight since the attack on Arendelle. There were still a lot of tasks to be done, but things had calmed down significantly. Her injured guard staff was recovering well and recruitment for new soldiers had already begun. Elsa had listened to Hans' sound advice and done as he instructed taking the next step regarding the Duke's treasonous attack. She'd sent the envoy with the letter to the Southern Isles, but had yet to receive word back.

With things being more tranquil around Arendelle, she could take more breaks without feeling guilty and stressing herself out about falling behind on her never-ending workload. 

Currently, she was taking her customary tea break in the library, which she hadn't been able to enjoy for quite a while. She was doing some light research as she calmly sipped her tea. She sat near the window overlooking the fjord.

She'd been lost in her reading, when she heard a light knock at the door, which surprised her a bit.

"Come in," Elsa invited.

The door opened and the freckled Princess entered the room, she had not been expecting her.

"Oh, Anna, Come to join me?" Elsa asked, as she beckoned her to join her by the window.

Elsa was surprised to see her sister, because she didn't normally join her for tea. Anna much rather have a picnic outside than be cooped up inside for tea like Elsa. As children Anna had enjoyed having pretend tea parties with her, but Anna had not grown to be a real tea lover like Elsa. Anna had a sweet tooth and would much rather have a cup of cocoa to one of tea. So it was not common for the two sisters to share a cup of tea. Though sometimes they'd share a chat instead.

"Uh, sorta." Anna sighed a bit. These things were always difficult, but she'd been increasingly bothered by all this. Not just with the fact that Hans was in their home, but also because he had now been there after the battle for two weeks and Elsa kept visiting him. She made sure she actually knew where he was, but she didn't want to see him. She was concerned she might get violent, even though she knew he was already injured. Still, she let Olaf tell her about 'Hans the Fool' to see if she could gather anything. A few stories, it seemed, but they tended to get jumbled up when Olaf told them.

"I need to talk to you about Hans. Like, especially, why is he in our home? I mean yeah I get it, he needs medical treatment, but he was in our castle before he got stabbed, and I'm super uncomfortable with my ex-fiancee and your attacker living in our home and also apparently having access to swords. It would have been a nice thing to know sooner, and I'm getting really concerned about how much else I might not know with him walking around? The last time before the battle that I saw him with a sword, it was the last thing I saw."

That came out more frustrated and unrestrained than she planned, like everything she tried to address tactfully. Still, she wasn't wrong. These things had been bothering her for weeks now, and she needed to address it. She wished they could have addressed it sooner, but the castle was kind of in a tizzy with the guards and the cleanup and all that. Anna almost wanted to lock her door at night out of fear, but she hated locked doors more than men with swords.

Elsa's face grimaced as she realized the moment she'd been dreading had finally arrived, it was time to talk about Hans with Anna, and as she'd imagined she was a bit upset about the whole ordeal.

Elsa put down her tea cup and closed the book she'd been reading. She stood up and moved over to the sofa, patting the seat for Anna to join her. 

"Let's talk," Elsa agreed.

Anna had remained by the door, but took the seat Elsa offered next to her on the sofa. The Princess plopped down beside her.They both sat slightly turned facing each other, with a cushion in between them.

Elsa let out a heavy sigh.

"Well..." Elsa began. "Hans was sort of already injured when he arrived to Arendelle... and I allowed him to heal within the castle walls, instead of the dungeon," she winced. "He was guarded, of course," she added. "He only picked up a sword to defend Arendelle," she reasoned. "He'd surrendered his sword to me when he arrived," Elsa explained.

She understood why Anna would be wary of Hans wielding a sword once again.

"Yeah, 'guarded'." Anna used air quotes. "Usually when prisoners are in a room, they don't just get out. Wait, how was he injured before he got here? And-- wait, you told me he was in the dungeon first so, was he healing in the castle this whole time or not?" There were a lot of questions.

Finally she waved her hands a bit. "Maybe, we should start this from the beginning? Go back, explain it all to me again why he's here and what he's here for and what this whole situation is-- and maybe also why you keep visiting him and Olaf thinks he's a 'Fool' like we're medieval? Olaf is really bad at keeping secrets." Plus, since the attack Olaf had a lot more time to socialize with Hans, which... Anna was actually kind of okay with that. Olaf couldn't exactly get hurt and it sounded like they were at least getting along well. Just because she didn't like Hans didn't mean she wanted him to die of boredom, so hey, whatever kept him busy and out of their hair.

Starting from the beginning, that was a long story. Elsa took a deep breath in preparation.

"Okay, so, from the beginning. Well, he came to surrender himself, 'To provide if asked' and tell the truth. He just wanted a chance to atone. And, yes, I did originally send him to the dungeon, but things went awry, and I discovered that hiding the fact that he was...on the verge of death. That's when he started staying in the castle to heal. I was worried about him after seeing... how hurt he was, so I decided to visit him." Elsa involuntarily gulped. "And well...I started talking to him and asking questions. And I started to see that there was more to him than the monster I originally thought." She explained. "Olaf found the room, but I didn't want Olaf to tell you, so that's how Hans ended up becoming the fool. So yeah, the door might have been unlocked, but the guards were stationed outside. He could have gotten out anytime, if he really wanted, but he never tried it, he only left the room to help when we were under attack. He..he really isn't a bad guy. He did come to our aid after all. The only reason I didn't want to tell you all this is because I thought you'd be upset, and I didn't want you two hurting each other if you saw one another again." Elsa rambled non-stop, trying to explain everything and answer all her sister's questions.

Anna, to her credit, listened for once. She wasn't well-known to be a listener, but thankfully Elsa was talking fast and didn't leave room for a word in edgewise until she was done.

"Okay, there's a lot there," She paused to try and organize her thoughts.

"People don't just hide being 'on the verge of death', right? How did you not notice when he first arrived?" she, of course, didn't know that even Hans didn't know about the infection brewing beneath his skin. Likely it had only truly gotten established because he didn't have the wounds re-bandaged after arriving.

"I have a really hard time swallowing the idea that he's 'not a bad guy' after he tried to kill us both. But I think the most upsetting part here is, you're hiding things from me again to 'protect me', but every time you do that I feel like I'm not being trusted with anything. At least when Kristoff protects me from stuff he tells me what he thinks is going to hurt me and how to avoid it, with you it's always something or someone shoved behind a door like I'll forget about it. I can't just forget about these things, I need to know, 'Else. Tell me things so I can know what I'm walking into and not be blindsided when the guy who tried to kill me -my ex fiance- has one of the swords from the trophy room and is way too close to me for me to be happy. I'm still trying to scrub my near-dying out of my memory and to stop feeling like an idiot for trusting him the first time, don't make my mistake." Nope, she was nowhere near trusting Hans. She couldn't. At every turn her memory reminded her about her foolish heart and the way she had trusted him so easily. The warmth of his arms contrasted to the chill in his heart, and she would never be allowed to forget being locked in a room to die cold and alone.

Forgiveness would not come easy when she still remembered moving in front of her sister to stop a sword with her hand, knowing she would die from it. Feeling her heart cool until it stopped and the vibration of a sword against her hand that rattled her even as she lost her sight and feeling everywhere else.

She realized she had wrapped her arms over her chest and shivered without thinking about it. How long had she been out of it? Just a moment, but it felt like she had been thinking for a lot longer, losing herself to that train of thought. Occasionally, she still had nightmares about it. Sometimes she turned to Elsa about them. More often these days, she turned to Kristoff. She didn't tell them all the details, some things were still too hard to talk about. Some things about those dreams, she still didn't understand.

"... He's good at masking his pain."

"Anna... I'm not denying all the bad things he's done in the past, but things aren't as straightforward as they seem. I know how much he hurt you and I haven't forgiven him for that, I could never."

Elsa couldn't forgive him, because he'd deeply hurt her sister by breaking her heart and locked her in a room to die. Elsa thought she understood how much Hans had hurt her Anna, but in reality she didn't not. It did deeply pain her that her young sister got hurt, but she didn't fully understand the implications. Elsa had known heartbreak herself when she thought she lost Anna to a frozen heart, yet that heartbreak was not the same as the one caused by Hans' betrayal. Anna's heart was broken because someone she loved and thought she could trust ended up hurting them instead. In that regard, Anna's heart had been broken twice that day, once by her own sister that had accidentally struck her, and secondly by Hans reflecting that heartbreak onto himself instead. Elsa had never had her heart broken like that so she didn't understand all the hidden damage it had done. Anna could not easily disregard what Hans had done for he had: broken her heart, left her to die and also tried to kill her sister as well (which Elsa herself didn't seem to really hold against him).

It stung Elsa realizing that she might have actually hurt Anna more trying to 'protect her', than if she'd just talked it over. Anna was right. It was inconsiderate to continue concealing stuff behind closed doors, when she promised she'd stop keeping Anna out.

"It wasn't fair for you to find out the way you did, I can only imagine how it felt to see Hans again, wielding a sword, without any warning, when it wa-...A part of me wanted to tell you sooner, but I was just afraid to and really didn't know how. I really should have had more faith in you. I'm a horrible big sister, I keep pushing you out trying to protect you, but only end up hurting you instead. I guess I still haven't learned how to stop falling back on my bad old habits."

Elsa noticed how Anna shivered as she held herself, and felt guilty again for inflicting her with a frozen heart and the great pain it caused on her.

"... I'm sorry, Anna." Elsa softly said as she tried reaching her hand to Anna's shoulder.

Anna leaned into Elsa's touch and moved to curl up next to her. She was still annoyed, but she wanted to be held more than she wanted to be angry.

"I don't know how to explain to you how bad he is, and how awful that event was for me. I know I shouldn't be mad, because he risked his life to save us during the attack, but I can't not be upset. Not while I'm still having nightmares about what he did. They're worse than what really happened, but sometimes I wonder if I'm just remembering it wrong. Maybe I should go visit the trolls, they should know what to do about nightmares, right?" She didn't explain what made them so upsetting, but did she really need to? 

"Just don't let him hurt you, too." Maybe she should have been more upset at Elsa for freezing her, but it wasn't the Frozen Heart that upset her. If anything, perhaps it had saved her from him.

Elsa felt slight relief with Anna accepting her touch and curling up closer.

"I know. Anna, you have every right to be upset. Maybe or maybe not, I know my mind paired with fear tends to exaggerate my own nightmares. ...I'd just be careful... if you go use troll magic on yourself, I wouldn't want you to lose your memories...again," Elsa worried. It's not that she didn't trust the trolls, per se, they were Kristoff's family after all, and she loved and trusted Kristoff, but it's just that they had played such a pivotal part in separating her from her sister.

" I promise I won't," she reassured. Elsa trusted Hans' loyalty and unlike Anna, Elsa hadn't granted him control of her heart...or at least that's what she thought.

"No, I don't want to remove anything. Just... talk. I just want to talk with them about it, some more distance, you know?" She shrugged, but didn't explain much about what she meant.

Anna curled up with Elsa, uncertain and uncomfortable with Hans being in the castle, still.

"I kind of want to keep guards close. Or at least to keep Kristoff nearby, but obviously I can't have him nearby when I'm sleeping." They weren't married, after all.

"Okay," Elsa nodded with a sigh of relief.

She didn't see any need for guards anymore, they had only been set up as deterrents, but Hans never tried anything anyway. But if Anna felt unsafe in her own home, she'd gladly grant her some comfort. 

" You're welcome to have guards or Kristoff if you wish. Kristoff is always welcome to stay in the castle, if he likes, he's family after all. Of course, he won't be able to stay in your room, but nearby is perfectly acceptable."

Anna nodded. "One or two night shift guards to watch over me when Kristoff has to leave. How long, exactly, were you planning to have Hans live in the castle? I know we can't spare a lot of guards right now since the attack." She really wanted to know when she could stop being paranoid. A shame that the idea of his leaving hadn't really been explored, at least not yet.

Elsa nervously bit her lower lip as she pondered.There was silence, an agonizingly long moment of silence, before Elsa opened her mouth to speak.

"Um.. indefinitely, at least until he fully heals, that is, and then...and then," Elsa voiced. And then what, exactly? She hadn't planned that far ahead. Hans would not be an invalid forever and where was supposed to have him stay after he healed? The dungeon? Obviously not, that would be unfair, Hans was no longer a prisoner to her. Yet, if Anna didn't feel comfortable in her own home, it wasn't right to hurt her anymore, by keeping him there either. Elsa was truly in a predicament, even if she would like to keep Hans nearby she didn't want her sister to suffer. She needed to think of a place to transfer him to that was the perfect compromise. Perhaps he could stay at the barracks, if he was to help train the guards. "...We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Anna looked up at Elsa with a look of doubt and concern. Not about her, but for her. 

"If you say so." She seemed, perhaps, disappointed. Not angry, but disappointed. She knew there was more to this than Elsa wanted to say, but she wasn't sure she understood her own feelings on the subject, let alone how to express them. 

"But if you're gonna have him in the Castle this long against my better judgement, you better be nice to Kristoff when he finally gets around to proposing." That was a joke, of course. It was more about how Elsa had explosively reacted the last time a guy asked to marry her.

Elsa looked down at Anna, and saw her disappointment, she wished she wasn't so conflicted.

"Hm?" She said at her joking remark, as she realized Anna was trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course," Elsa answered with a soft chuckle.

"I don't want to end up running into Hans by coincidence again. I don't like him having free roam, so I hope this time the guards keep him in." She had her doubts, now that she had seen how well they had done the first time.

Elsa gave a deep sigh, but nodded.


	12. Homemade with Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kristanna Chapter. It's Short and Sweet. Hope you Enjoy~

After her tea time chat with Elsa, regarding a certain auburn-haired Prince she'd still like to punch in the face, Anna needed to find a way to decompress. Lucky for her, she had a great big cuddly bear of a boyfriend, she could go to for all her coddling needs. They had planned to spend the afternoon together and Anna was going to take full advantage of all the warm hugs and sweet kisses she could get.

Kristoff packed the picnic, mostly to test how Anna liked his cooking. Fresh molasses bread he'd baked, a stew of wild vegetables and game he'd caught, that sort of thing. He'd been planning for a while to try Anna on some of his foods, to see how she liked his wilder sort of life without pushing her into the deep end. So, he was a little nervous. Of course, she found him at the stables with Sven. "Hey there, Feistypants." He hummed, offering an arm to hug her, with the other holding the picnic basket. He was always down to hold his girlfriend, which was great because she seemed to need the hugs.

Anna didn't waste a second to wrap her arms around him in a big warm hug. "Don't call me, Feistypants," she playfully grumbled, with her face pressed against his chest. She took in his scent, no longer a stinky reindeer man odor, now more of a manly mountain musk of Kristoff, it helped that he'd bathe more frequently since they started courting. The smell of Kristoff wasn't the only thing her nose picked up, there was something else lingering in the air. ``Whatever you have planned for us today smells delicious," Anna said, prying herself from their embrace to try to sneak a peek into the picnic basket.

"Mmhm, a homemade picnic from the sort of stuff I eat at home. Where would you like to go enjoy it? Somewhere near the woods, or by the fjord, maybe under a willow tree somewhere?" Kristoff hummed. He didn't mind if she snuck a peek, she wouldn't see much but food-- but it would be what she thought of it that would be the real surprise. "I figured you ought to see what my cooking is like before, well, whatever happens in the future." He was still too nervous to say 'marriage'.

"Hmm? We can go whenever, as long as we share some relaxing alone time together, I don't really mind where we go," Anna chirped. "Oh! Is that so? You made it yourself, for me, I'm honored. If it tastes as good as it smells, which I'm pretty sure it will, you don't have to worry about your culinary skills impressing me, besides I can assure you it's definitely better than anything I can prepare myself," She giddily giggled.   
  
  
  


"Mmhm, a few different foods I make so you can try a taste, some homemade molasses bread and cheese and butter, some garden fruits and vegetables. Here, we can find a place on Sven."    
  
He helped Anna up onto Sven's back and hung up the picnic basket on Sven's antlers while he got up so nothing would spill. He picked it up again and guided Sven out. Out over the grass and toward the willow trees that once sparkled with eternal ice when Elsa had frozen the land. Now the trees had bright spring green leaves and draped over their trunks with grace and poise, drifting down toward clear ponds where ducks built nests. Kristoff found a lovely clear spot on a hill under the sun where they could enjoy their picnic.   
  
  


It was the perfect spot, secluded, beautiful and refreshing. Away from all the worries of the castle. Anna took in the fresh air and explored a bit of the surrounding area as Kristoff set up the picnic. She'd picked some wild flowers and returned to the picnic area. Anna playfully placed one of the flowers in Kristoff's hair, behind his ear. "There, now everything is perfect," Anna said brightly giggling.   
  
  
  
Kristoff laughed a little with her, and made sure she had a flower, too. "Better keep one for yourself too little dandy-lion." He teased. He liked that almost as much as feistypants, a little false lion trying to be fierce. "We've got a hot wild-game stew with wild vegetables, stuffed wild mushrooms, dandelion green salad, nettle beer, red clover ice tea, pine-wild berry crisp, and my usual lunch packs: homemade molasses bread, stored cheese, wild apples, and some smoked and dried meats. Admittedly the stuffed mushrooms were just me trying to impress, but most of this is the kind of thing I'd eat at home, and probably none of it is what you'd be used to." He smiled, but some of it was nervous. He unloaded clay containers of hot things that he had carefully brought to make sure they would stay warm, carefully insulated in the picnic basket.   
  


"What would you like to try first? Or d'you want to try a little bit of everything and hope for the best? I won't tell you what the wild game is, but it's not reindeer." He didn't need her freaking out about rabbits, birds, or the occasional well-cooked wolf. "I do all my own hunting and keep a garden at home for the 'wild' vegetables and fruits, sometimes the folks stop by to help in the garden." He hoped the hunting wouldn't be too off-putting when she finally saw it. He didn't actually want to change his lifestyle, he  _ loved _ his home. The castle was nice, but he hoped she would spend a little time with him in his home, too.

"Hmm," Anna hummed as she tapped her index finger on her chin. " I'm feeling adventurous today, give me a little bit of everything, please." A wide grin plastered on her face. "Food straight from the source sounds exciting, especially knowing you prepared it all for  **me** with  _ love _ ," she cheekily teased.

"That's right." Kristoff hummed, and leaned over to kiss her forehead just to be cute. He dished up little bits of everything, including a few different meats from the stew along with a little of all the vegetables, a few stuffed mushrooms, some of the salad and bread, to start with. A plate could only hold so much, after all, may as well start with the savories. "Beer or tea to start with? The beer isn't strong, it's a 'small beer', made for after work when you need a drink but don't necessarily trust the water to be safe. You'll still be sober at the end of a pint. If I had a decent supply of honey I might make mead, but I don't know how to maintain a hive yet, it seems like full-time work." It wasn't important, it was just thoughts on his life.   
  
  


Anna wore a beaming smile, she loved Kristoff's soft kisses, just as much as she loved warm hugs. " Now that's a tough choice," she giggled. "But I think I'll start with the tea and save the beer for later."   
  
  


He smiled at her giggling, it was just so sweet and warmed his heart. Which was good, as an ice harvester. He poured her some ice tea into mugs. A lot of ceramic, which made sense, clay was easy enough to get and to make and fire, with a little practice; and it held hot and cold things fairly well, once they were glazed. That was the hard part, but potters were easy enough to find and work with. "I hope you enjoy it, I know it's not going to be like what you're used to." There wasn't much processed sugar, mostly molasses or honey. Anywhere he would use egg it would be from wild birds, and all of his fruits and vegetables were from things that weren't typically farmed. "The trolls taught me how to garden a lot of these things, but some things like mushrooms have to be foraged for, and some things like milk and cheese I still have to buy. I suppose I needed  _ some _ reason to go to town and hold a proper job." He joked. Now he didn't need a reason any stronger than Anna.

"Milk and cheese are pretty good reasons," she laughed and quipped back. "I know chocolate would be on the top of my list." 

"Now let me taste this lovely meal prepared just for me," she hummed as she brought a spoonful in for the first bite. Kristoff was right, it wasn't what she was used to. It was different, but good different, it was quite delectable in fact. The vegetables and the tender meat were paired well in a perfect blend of texture and flavor. She needed more. "Oh my goodness Kristoff, this is so good," she purred with another spoonful already in her mouth. Anna may have been a princess, but etiquette often took a back seat to her eccentric nature.   
  
  


"Clothes too, I can only sew patchwork, really. Thankfully, the ice farmers' wives are usually pretty good to help out with that kind of thing. As long as I don't mind them trying to set me up with their daughters." He cringed, clearly not comfortable with that idea. "I'm glad you like it!" He wondered if he should tell her what the meat was, or wait until it was digested before he let her know she was probably eating rabbit and wolf, or maybe a wild bird, depending on which bite of meat she had. He was just glad she enjoyed whatever she ate. "I live alone, so I figured I'd best learn how to cook properly." and apparently, he did that in spades.   
  
  


"Hmm? Cooking and sewing, on top of being a strong handsome ice harvester," Anna swooned. "I guess I'm extra lucky that none of those daughters managed to snag you first, cause you sir are quite the catch," she praised, holding the spoon upside down against her lips.   
  
  


He laughed a little. "Like I said, I can just sew patches and fix a seam now and then." He shrugged, maybe flushing a little at the compliments. "Maybe I'll ask Elsa if she'd be okay with you coming up to visit my home for twenty-four hours or so. If I promise there won't be any funny business and tell her that Sven can be a good 'moral guardian'. But I'd like you to visit sometime..." Sometime  _ before _ they got married. "I've been proposed to once or twice, usually by women just happy that I have a job. I politely declined and did my best to trade routes with other ice harvesters, but I still can't get away from the occasional nudge toward one of their daughters."    
  
He rolled his eyes, definitely not interested. And that was  _ before _ the eternal winter. Now that he had a title, he just did his best to not have to talk to women outside of the castle.   
  
  


Kristoff's mention of Elsa and staying overnight, made her smile falter remembering their tea time discussion. She didn't want to damper their date with her distress so soon, though right now seemed to be the right time to bring up the subject. "Um, Kristoff," She began. "Speaking of staying over..." She fidgeted with the spoon in her hand. "Do you think you could possibly stay over at the castle, for a while? I'd feel as lot safer if you did and Elsa said it was okay, at least until..." She took a deep sigh. "H- _ he's _ gone." She let out an involuntary gulp.   
  
  


Kristoff was a little surprised, but nodded. "Alright, if it makes you feel safer." No questions, he understood what Anna had been through. He remembered the sight of Anna frozen on the fjord, as if in a dream. He had barely had time to process the idea before she was unfrozen again, but it did remind Kristoff of the dark side of 'nothing is permanent'. He spent a lot more time thinking about mortality, these days. "Do you want me to hold you until you fall asleep or just to hang out with the guards in the hall so I can put him through a window if he snoops around?" That was at least a little bit of a joke, to try and lighten her mood.

"Thank you." Kristoff's joke brought a small smile back to Anna's face. She sighed again. "I really wish he didn't have this _control_ over me, but he still does and I hate it." Anna huffed. "And what's worse is that _my own sister_ acts all nonchalant about the whole ordeal. I don't know what's gotten into Elsa, but it frightens me more how much trust she has in the very _monster_ that tried to **kill** her and me!"   
  
"I don't want to doubt my own sister's judgement, she's Queen after all, and making tough decisions is what she has to do, but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed in the one she chose to take. Especially since she didn't consult me first and tried to hide the whole thing to try to 'protect me'.   
  
" I feel like I've become the cautious one and I'm the one warning _her_ about _him_. Maybe there's something I'm missing. But, ugh! It's just so **frustrating** that I still have to nudge Elsa to open up to me... It's almost like she has more faith in _him than_ _me_ ," Anna went from frustration to disappointment in a fraction of a second. Anna took a deep sigh from her venting. "All this to say, I don't trust Hans in the least. I don't know what he's been filling Elsa's head with, in order to make her trust him, but I know first hand he's a two-faced snake and I can't help but think that he's plotting something."  
  
  


Kristoff stopped to think about it. "Maybe-- and stay with me on this-- you should talk to him, too? Not to try and trust him, but to figure out what he's been saying to seem trustworthy? I spoke to him in the battle and he seemed honest, but I also only asked whose side he was on, I didn't ask why. I definitely don't have any love for the guy. I can stay by you as a guard if you want to talk to him? But I also won't ask you to stress yourself out. I'll be the wall between you if I have to be, nobody will hurt you with me around." Kristoff assured. He didn't want her to be afraid, ever.    
  
"You're right to be frustrated, I can understand your point of view, I'd have a hard time believing if you  _ weren't _ bothered."   
  
  


Initially, Anna's eyes grew wide in disbelief at the suggestion, but she held her tongue and listened closely. Kristoff was wise and Anna trusted that he would  _ never _ steer her wrong. After he finished she paused to ponder. " You know what? You're absolutely right!" She determinedly declared. "I should totally face him myself! I shouldn't have to cower in fear in my own home, he doesn't deserve that satisfaction! If I want my questions answered, I must go straight to source!   
  


"Kristoff, please stand by my side when I face him, because I'm afraid...I'm afraid, I'll punch an injured man in the face, if I have no one there to stop me."    
  
"Thank you, for your insight," she said softly as she kissed his cheek. "One of the many many reasons I love you."    
  
"But, hey, let's not let that issue distract us from our date any longer. Let's continue enjoying the lovely meal you prepared for me and our alone time and we'll deal with all that stuff later."   
  
  


Kristoff laughed a little at her quick turn from determination to not wanting to 'punch an injured man in the face'. "I'll be there." He promised, and pulled her back over to return her kiss, just to be cute and affectionate. "I love you too, feistypants."   
  
"And if you need me to be the scary growly mountain man to spook him a little I can do that too." Boy could he. He didn't act scary much now that he had Anna, but he still could, when pressed.   
  
The savory foods were delicious, the tea was made sweet, the wild-berry crisp was tart, it was all very good-- but the warm molasses bread with butter was probably the best, especially next to an occasional slice of cheese. Kristoff made the bread often, and he knew how to make it good. He ate a bit as well, but it was mostly for Anna to sample a lot of different foods. The extra lunch packs were hardly necessary, they were more like a demonstration of what he brought with him to work. It was, in his mind, a perfect date, just knowing that she liked his cooking and the different kinds of food he ate when he was home. He let her lean on him while he held her waist, and he was as happy there as a cat in a warm lap. Kristoff was a man of simple pleasures.


	13. An Odd Request

_Knock Knock Knock_   
  
Knocking at this hour was quite odd, it was too formal, Elsa and especially Olaf tended to head in unannounced. The only person who came by and actually knocked was the Doctor, but they'd already checked in not too long ago, so whoever was behind the door didn't customarily come visit. "May I come in? I wish to have a word with you." called a familiar voice.  
  
  
Hans shifted a bit on the bed, still in mass amounts of pain, but doing his damnedest to get past that. "Please do, distract me from the stab wound." He remarked airily. And god did he need a distraction from _that._ Still, in his usual stubborn fashion, as his guest entered, he made an effort to push himself up into at the very least a sitting position, in spite of the pain. It felt weird to lay down and let people address him from the ceiling. It was awkward for everyone involved and he wanted none of it.  
  


The door opened and in came a familiar well built man. It was the Captain of the guard. Bandaged and scratched up himself, but in far better shape than Hans. "'Evening, Prince Hans," he greeted with a nod, choosing to omit the 'good', knowing he was probably not having a good evening being bedridden and in pain.   
  
  


"So it is, you can omit the 'prince' part too, Captain, if you must pick a title at least use the one I earned." Hans joked, holding his wound but offering a wry smile through the pain. "I'd say I owe you my life for fetching Elsa and the doctor last time, are we even now?" He joked gently. "Come on then, sit and have a chat. It'll be refreshing to talk to a working man again, like my crew. I'd suggest we get drinks, but the doctors disagree with that suggestion. Or they did for me, maybe you got lucky and missed that directive." Hans spoke with the Captain like they had been crew mates for years, and on equal terms. None of this prince or prisoner business, just working men in his book.   
  


" You jest, and yet I truly think we are even," stated the Captain as he brought a chair to the bedside, the back of the chair facing Hans. "One of the reasons I've come to speak to you is indeed to thank you, for undertaking my responsibility of protecting the Queen, when I failed to do so in battle. I guess I made the right call saving you, after all." He half-jokingly quipped back, taking a seat in the chair backwards.   
  
  


"I'm glad to hear it, if nothing else, a traitor makes for a good sword-stopper, may as well use that fact while I have it." He suggested dryly, gesturing to his wound. "I'm sure my reasons for what I did at the coronation never got back to you, I'd try to reassure you, but after the original traitorous events I'm afraid it wouldn't matter much to explain myself, I've rather a liar's reputation. I'm afraid  _ that _ one I can't make even no matter how many scars I earn in the process, but I've nothing better to do but try, anyway. Here, if we're to gossip, I ought to know more than just your title?" He checked his hand for blood before offering it to shake. Holding his wound as much as he had it, it was worthwhile to check.   
  
  


" I guess, a proper introduction is at hand," he agreed, accepting Hans' offer to shake. "Name's Kristofferson, Johannes Kristofferson. Friends call me Johan."He gave Hans a firm handshake. The Captain was a man many years Hans' senior (by a decade, at least), approaching middle age, but not quite old enough to be his father. He had a rather large bulbous nose, dark hair and sported a thick mustache. 

"'Johannes'? Johan it is, I'm deeply sorry for the alternative nickname." Hans remarked, mingled amusement and apology on his face, as he knew that meant they could have shared a nickname. No doubt friends wouldn't call  _ anyone _ in their country 'Hans' for a while without starting a fistfight. "Good to meet you properly, Captain. Her Majesty is planning to get some retraining for the guards, I'm expecting to be assisting in that-- mostly teaching your men to be careful with tricky bastards like me. I know enough thieves, fought enough pirates, and lied enough times I think we could get a few solid exercises going." He tried to keep a conversation running.   


"Likewise," said the Captain, releasing the grip from their shake. " Even if it hurts my pride to say so, as Captain of the guard, it's become painfully obvious," he briefly lifted up his bandaged arm. "Pardon the pun-- that we are in dire need of retraining." 

"Jokes aside, I do wish to speak of you about your involvement in the retraining process," He explained. "I heard you took charge during the attack, directing men in how better to do their job. I guess it's to be expected, from an Admiral after all. A man from the Isles, such as yourself, is better equipped for battle than anyone in Arendelle. It saddens me to say that Arendelle has been far too sheltered for years and we haven't exactly adapted with the times either. You on the other hand are quite experienced in tactic and technique." He momentarily paused. "I've spoken with the Queen and that's why Her Majesty as well as I myself believe you might be best fit, in overseeing the retraining yourself...Heck, you might even manage to teach an old dog like myself a new trick or two." He slightly chuckled, but turned serious again. "...Though that's not all I wish to discuss with you, I have a more... personal request, I wish for you to undertake as well."

  
  
"It comes with experience, as an admiral and a littlest brother, I've learned to hold my own in fights." He chuckled a little, though perhaps wryly. "A request of  _ me? _ Gladly, Captain. Anything I could be useful for. What troubles you sir?" He wondered what the Captain could possibly want of him, but he would be more than glad to help, given the opportunity to.

  
  
"This might sound like an odd request coming from me, but I think it might be in Arendelle's best interests," He began with a deep breath. "I don't know if you already took note of what I'm about to tell you, but you do seem to be a perceptive lad, so I'm sure it didn't cross your keen eye undetected. Anyway, before I was overtaken by the enemy fighting alongside the Queen, I noticed something about Her Majesty's magic or at least how she was using it. She was mostly using her ice powers to shield rather than attack. I know she's cautious about using her magic aggressively, especially against and around people, yet considering what happened with Her Highness, it's completely understandable. What I'm getting at is that she doesn't have a way to defend herself if she refrains from using her magic. So what I ask of you, I say out both concern for Her Majesty's safety, as well as, the confidence I see she holds in you." He took a long glance over at the ice blade laying on top of the bureau. "I know it's our job to protect her, and I may be speaking out of line, but I  _ never _ want to leave her alone and defenseless ever again. So I request you try to convince her to learn how to wield a weapon, teach her how to use a sword, as a preventive measure, so she'll have a way to protect herself without relying solely on her ice magic."   
  
  


Hans blinked a bit, surprised by the rounds that conversation took. He paused to consider it. "You know she'd never draw blood if she could help it." He pointed out, but he was still clearly pondering the suggestion. "I'll see what I can convince her of. Perhaps if she can at least be convinced of a snow army or some other defender she can create, she might be protected. But I will try to convince her to take up a weapon. God knows, a man of the Isles is a good one to teach it, us with our refusal to give up anachronistic ways. We might need a guard presence during any training. I don't think you or I or anyone  _ else _ wants to see me holding a sword at Her Majesty even with wooden blades for sparring. The Princess might decide to strangle me with her bare hands." That was only mostly a joke. "Well, I hope I can heal quickly. It seems I have a lot of work to do, yet. ...What blade do you think she should learn, then? It's a loaded question, but I want to know what you think." He nodded a little toward the blade on the bureau. His own sword was a bastard sword; not usually the weapon of a lady-- but certainly one that would kill well enough if need be. "I've seen her fight, she can be dangerous, but she'd never kill, I suspect if she gave a man so much as a paper cut she'd hold the scar as her own. As much as I agree that she should be protected, I can lead a horse to water, but even I cannot command it to drink."   
  
  
  


"Yes, of course there’ll be a guard," The Captain nodded, before adding: "Though, I'd assume that you'd be using ice instead wood, should she accept, knowing she can disintegrate it at will."   
  
"Hm." He looked back at the sword."Rapier or Smallsword, perhaps."   
  
"I know," he sighed. "Her Majesty has a kind heart." The Captain looked back at Hans. "Thank you for at least hearing me out."   
  
  


He nodded. "Of course. I'd say I'm a rather captive audience, even if I may or may not be a prisoner anymore." He laughed and shrugged a little, then cringed. "I'm not going much of anywhere with a stab wound." He shifted to lean back on the bed, visibly blinking back pain. "I'm not convinced she'd always remember that she can do that. Remember that time she couldn't unfreeze an entire kingdom? I doubt I'll ever forget it." He pointed out, a dry amused tone, but an expression that definitely didn't hold amusement on it. He still only felt shame about that. "Almost a shame, I'm better with bastard sword technique. 'Bastard for a bastard', as we joked in the isles, though none of us are. It's a better killing tool than a rapier, but it wouldn't suit her style." He seemed pensive, almost wistful a moment. "Perhaps a Sabre. I'm skilled with those and they're light and quick enough for a lady, if pressed. A good middle ground, enough metal behind it to disarm. Or, indeed, to dis-arm." He chuckled wryly. Lopping off an arm was one way to diminish a threat. "No promises, but I'll see what I can do. If nothing else, we'll work on some better defenses. If I must be Her Majesty's bodyguard as well as her fool, I'll do that, too." He didn't mind. He was simply whatever they told him to be. "Out of curiosity, what do you think of me? I imagine from an outsider's perspective, this must all be very strange to you. I won't take offense, use all the rude words you like." He laughed dryly.   
  
  


The Captain nodded along as he listened. "What do I think of you? That's a bit of a conundrum. It really depends on  _ when _ exactly you're asking, because right  _ now _ my opinion of you is that you're a brave but foolish boy, that I believe is truly trying to make amends. If that weren't the case I definitely wouldn't have asked for your assistance. The Queen has a kind heart, but I don't think she'd give you a second chance, unless she saw something in you worth saving.

"If you are looking for rude words that would probably be my opinion of you after the eternal winter and when you first set foot back in Arendelle. Thought you were a real bastard to show your face again, after what you did. I was actually surprised you didn't choose to take a similar route like the Duke and enact your revenge. 

" With that said, as 'an outsider', as you put it, I have a hard time wrapping my head around the whole debacle. Mostly because things didn't seem to add up, you seemed like a genuinely kind, caring, character throughout the eternal winter, helping Arendelle however you could, it was truly a shock to all of us to hear you turned traitor. Especially considering you went through all the trouble to climb the North Mountain to retrieve the Queen unharmed, and brought her down just to--" The Captain shook his head. "Anyway, I think that pretty much abridged what I think of you."   
  
  


Hans smiled a little at being called a 'boy', amused and understanding. "A bastard with a bastard sword. One of several reasons I picked it." Hans joked wryly. "None of us are actually bastards, of course, by lineage, but it doesn't stop us joking." He rubbed his wound gently, trying to soothe the pain. "I didn't want to, if you want to know the story. I did it to give the ladies a villain for their story. True love's kiss wouldn't have worked, I'm no fool. So what, I'd have kissed Anna, nothing would have happened-- what then? Anna would have found a way to blame herself, died miserable, and where would the Queen be? Out on the fjord, ready to die? It wasn't a  _ good _ choice, but easier for me to be the villain than the Queen." He shrugged, a bit of a sigh. "Bastard is a good descriptor for it, yes. But bastards can do good deeds too. Remember that-- and a good man can be a bastard just as easy if they've a mind to be. Good men are driven to it, lesser men simply walk."   
  
  


" I remember you telling the Queen something like that in the Throne Room when you first arrived. I definitely doubted you then, but now it seems to make sense and I'm more inclined to believe that was really your reasoning." replied the Captain. " It's a lot easier for a good man to go bad than a bad man to turn good."   
  
  


"On the contrary, I think." Hans mused. "It depends how good one is, I suppose. I know of many thieves. One married Her Majesty's cousin, small world as it is, two of my brothers worked with him. All three were bad, one turned out to be good because he met a girl. My brothers remain right bastards, but they'd still be there if my father wasn’t dying, and call my brother Eduard 'little fox' with affection. As they say, even evil men love their families. Or bits of them, at least. One of my brothers prefers the company of men, and the church calls him evil-- yet he's sweet through and through, helpful to those in a rough place, and would never bother somebody who doesn't want his company. Now, who is better, he or the brother in the clergy who says that brother and I are both damned for our sins?" Hans shrugged, unwilling to offer his own opinion. "Bad men have soft spots, no matter how bad. Good men who harden, though? I'd fight a thousand men alone rather than get in the way of a good man who steels for war. If her Majesty ever draws a sword to do battle willingly, by god's hand, run." That was not a joke. Hans knew the Queen wasn't violent, but if she ever decided to be? It would not be Arendelle changed, but the world.   
  
  


"I guess you're right, there's a fine line between good and bad men. It's the way they lead their lives that makes all the difference." He responded. "May God have mercy on us all, if her Majesty ever lost her kind soul."   
  
  


"Cheers to that, and God save us if we should make the wrong choice of who to side with in the chaos. I'm spoken for, I'm afraid." He nodded to his blade of ice. "Come heaven or hell, that's an Arendelle sword meant to hang at my hip. Either I use that, or I pray I never need a sword again. The Isles are curious about sword traditions, I think I'm beginning to truly understand them, now."    
  
  


"Cheers!" The Captain played along. There was a brief moment of silence between the men. Just as the Captain was going to open his mouth to state he might not be the best company to entertain the Prince with words, the door suddenly swung open. Catching both men by surprise.   
  
The door swinging open was accompanied by the loud proud voice of a determined Feisty Princess:   
  
"Hans of the Southern Isles, I've got a bone to pick with you!"


	14. Useless

"Hans of the Southern Isles, I've got a bone to pick with you!"   
  
Kristoff had advised Anna to reconsider making a dramatic entrance (he didn't stop her, of course), Anna stubbornly declined his wise suggestion. She told Kristoff it was a necessary power play to show Hans she was the one in control and that  _ this was her home _ . In all honesty, Anna was slightly acting like a drunkard, (even if Kristoff was correct that the beer from the picnic could not get her drunk), the mere mention of alcohol made her  _ think _ she was drunk. It gave Anna an extra confidence boost. Confidence that had turned to slight embarrassment when she realized Hans was not alone in his chamber. 

"Your Highness, Lord Kristoff," addressed the Captain as he stood up from his chair. 

"Oh! Captain, I didn't realize you were here. I hope I'm not interrupting," she said apologetically. 

"Not at all Princess, in fact I was just about to leave," he answered. The Captain shot Hans a glance as if wishing him luck. "He's all your Highness, now if you'll excuse me." Anna nodded and moved aside to allow the Captain leave. Now that he Captain was no longer in the room, she brought her attention back to Hans and glared at him intensely.   
  
  


Hans nodded his respect to the Captain, and remained silent as he left. "If her Highness intends to hit me, I would advise to aim for the right profile. We can say it's residual swelling from the pommel I took to the face." He suggested, without judgement. More, with apology. "And it would be kinder than ripping the doctor's stitches. How may I help you both? A prisoner's time is never interrupted. Nor a fool's, nor a soldier's. Take your pick which one I'll be for the moment, I won't disappoint. I could apologize or beg your forgiveness, but I wouldn't want to waste her Highness' time." Always professional, always polite, and never quite meeting her eye. He waited for the impact or the yelling or whatever it would be.   
  
  


Anna had her fist clenched, but his response had caught her off guard. Hans offering himself to be struck, made her not want to strike him. She was confused and at a loss of words. Anna glanced over her shoulder to Kristoff. Hans had disarmed her before she had even begun. This was not the response she was expecting at all. In her mind she still visualized the venomous villain that heartlessly left her locked up to die. The vulnerable Hans in front of her made no sense, it must be some sort of trick, another mask to fool her into sympathy, it just  _ had _ to be (to her there wasn't any other explanation), and she was determined not to fall for it. She turned back to face him, the flame returning to her eyes. "You might have managed pulled the wool over everyone else's eyes, but it won't work on  **me** ,  _ not again _ ." Anna hissed, her fists were trembling. "I don't know what ideas you've been putting in my sister's head to make her trust you, but I, on the other hand won't be fooled so easily by your charms and empty words," she continued to fume. "I know you're plotting something, playing some sort of game, pretending to be the hero of Arendelle once again to get what you want." Anna assumed the worst in Hans, because she'd experienced it first hand, and it had left a deep wound on her heart that she could not easily overlook. She was venting all her frustration throwing him all her hurt. "Come on, stop hiding behind a mask and show me your true colors. The ones you weren't afraid to hide from me when you locked me away in that room," she cried.   
  
  


Hans considered it a moment. "True colors... a neutral canvas sail. I don't have 'true' colors, every color is a dye, added. None of my decisions were good, I grant you. I started that errand as a fool and ended it doubly so." He kneaded his fingertips in thought, looking off at nothing in particular. "Do you have a question for me to answer? I'm better at questions. Given leave to talk freely, I ramble horribly and never seem to know when to stop." He looked at her when she spoke, but when he did, he looked away from both of them, instead. 

"I think what she wants to know is, why did you leave her and lock the door?" Kristoff suggested, even tone and calm, as usual.    
  


"Because Anna was dying and only true love could save her, or so I was told. I'm not a fool, neither of us truly had that for each-other. I don't think I'm capable of it, damned if I don't try. As far as I knew, Anna was going to die, regardless. Being a villain was just an easier way to fail. There was, as far as I could tell, no man who could fix that situation. So I locked the door to prevent anyone else stumbling on how horrible it was and pretended my plan was villainy all along. The line of ascension doesn't include prince consorts, I'm still baffled that no-one caught on that I was making up some 'shot at the crown' theory. Anna said 'Elsa struck me with her powers', and I knew if I didn't become the villain of this story, she would. At least if I was villainized, even if Elsa died, I would be properly hanged and Arendelle would celebrate the lives of its tragic leaders-- not curse Elsa and god knows what they would say of Anna. If I hadn't raised my sword at the Fjord and you had died, don't tell me we would still have a queen. I know pain too deeply to believe that. A sword is just much quicker and less painful." He grimaced and put his face in his hand. "How could I have predicted there was a way we could all survive? The best of all possible outcomes, and I was blind to it. I would have accepted hanging, but your country is too kind for it, and mine knew it too well. I nearly died for more painful reasons, twice."   
  
  


Anna stood and listened, the anger in her eyes had dissipated, replaced by tears that were slowly rolling down Anna's cheeks. So many thoughts swirled around in her mind. Had Elsa really wished to die on the fjord? Is that why she didn't seem to hold his attempted murder against him? Elsa only seemed to mention the hurt he had caused  _ her _ , as the reasons she could never forgive him. Elsa only thought of her little sister and not of herself and that pained Anna, to think she'd willingly die instead of bearing the thought of losing her. Anna had easily forgiven her sister for accidentally inflicting her with a frozen heart, but she didn't occur to her that Elsa might still be dealing with such guilt and resentment, just like she was still having her own nightmares. So Hans was supposedly only trying to 'protect her', he was the same as Elsa in that aspect, hiding and choosing 'what was best for her' (because apparently they knew so much better) without letting her choose for herself. He could have told her the truth it would have hurt, but she would have understood and they could have found another way, Hans shutting another door on her, hurt more than the heartbreak. He said he did it 'for her', but of course he chose the route that was really easier for  _ himself _ . Anna walked up to the bedside, and without a second thought slapped Hans across the face, her hand stung from the impact. "If you want me to believe you are telling me the truth, at least look at me...you don't know how hard it is for me to even be facing you right now... and if you can't even bare to look me... it's like like what I think and feel doesn't matter to you... like your shutting  _ that _ door on me again." Anna seemed to be more disappointed than angry, like she'd been earlier that day with Elsa.   
  
  


Hans took the impact and didn't flinch from it. "Where I'm from, that would be a disrespect. My apologies." He forced his tone into neutrality, as he had the first time he had arrived again. He forced himself to look her in the eye, but it wasn't easy to do that. To watch her sadness inflicted him with the same, though he would hide that beneath his neutral mask. "Anything else, your Highness?" It was polite, neutral. He wouldn't show her the pain of her sadness or ask her if she would strike him again. He wouldn't have minded, anyway. Pain was easier by far. "Whatever you ask, I'll comply as best I can." Whether she asked him to speak his truths or to labor for the castle, whatever she pleased, it was his to comply.   
  
  


Anna's bright blue eyes looked straight into his emerald ones. " Why?" She murmured with a tremble to her tone. "If you did not want the crown and you truly did not love me, why...why ask me to marry you?"   
  
  


Hans forced himself not to take a long blink, not to find some reason by habit to look away. "Because I am a mirror, reflecting what other people wanted-- and  _ I _ wanted to learn to love. I am defective in that regard, I don't know what true romantic love feels like. I ran into you, full of excitement and energy and love for the world. I thought I could learn it from you the way I learn all manner of behaviors and acts. It's always someone like you, in the stories. The Belle who tames an unworthy beast. Your sweetness was infectious, and I felt happy near you. But, when someone said 'True Love's Kiss' I knew it wasn't me. I'm not a true  _ anything, _ except maybe a sailor. Or an insult of your choosing, if you prefer. I'm truly  _ that _ , too. I selfishly wanted to be less broken. Broken mirrors are useless things, and unlucky to boot. When we got engaged, it seemed like a good potential life for both of us. Then the situation changed in ways none of us could have predicted." He sighed a little, visibly uncomfortable. "I'm glad for your improved company, you always deserved better." Hans leaned back against the wall, then cringed and faltered, shifting to better nurse his stab wound. He didn't complain or speak of it, just righted himself and ignored the pain. 

"Easy, don't pop your threads, or we'll need a seamstress to stuff you again." Kristoff suggested dryly. He stepped over to touch Anna's back. Just a little supportive gesture, to try and calm her. 

"Good, and have her put a new patch on my back too, would you?" Hans joked in response. He didn't try to keep neutrality for Kristoff, Hans knew him as a healer.

"How was marrying a loveless man a  _ 'good potential life for  _ **_both_ ** _ of us' _ ? It sounds downright cruel more than selfish. I might have been naïve in thinking that you were some sort of prince charming and believing you were my true love, but you were still just planning to use me...as if I was some sort of...play thing. Love was like a game to you and you going through the motions trying to figure out the rules as you went along. A marriage like that wouldn't have been fair at all, with you continuing to play pretend, while I blindly believed it was all real. 

"Being stuck by a frozen heart might have been a blessing in disguise, because it at least saved me from marrying a heartless man like you." There was some bitterness and bite to her words. "And yes, I found 'improved company', I found a man who truly loves me." She glanced over at Kristoff again. Anna had been a bit sidetracked by releasing her pent-up venom, that hadn't picked up on what Kristoff and Hans had been talking about right away.

'Wait, what? His back?' The gears started turning in her mind and Anna started connecting some dots. Elsa had told her Hans had been injured prior to returning to Arendelle, she hadn't told her where or how exactly. Whatever happened to his back she was certain happened before the attack on Arendelle. Anna thought for a moment, until she came to the conclusion that made too much sense not to be true, he must have gotten lashed as punishment. With that figured out more things were adding up like how he could have been on the verge of death without Elsa taking notice right away, it'd been well hidden. How had she not noticed some of these things sooner? Like when Elsa said Hans was on the verge of death during their chat earlier today, she should have realized right away that  _ he _ was the someone she had talked about during their sister session. He was the one that had affected Elsa so much to the point it made weep (something she rarely saw herself). That had been shortly after his arrival, meaning he'd been staying in the castle right under her nose for  _ that long _ and she hadn't known.That angered her greatly, but what had really blinded her with rage was that fact that he'd made Elsa cry. Elsa had told her she'd seen something  _ very _ bad happen to someone, and Anna assumed it meant more than him dying that had such a strong impact on her dear sister causing her to break down. "You! You're the reason Elsa was so upset that night," she viciously said as she got out of her head. She glared at him again with her piercing blue eyes more intensity than ever. "You showed her your wounds didn't you?! That's how you got her sympathy!!"   
  
  


Hans looked away again as she berated him, eyes slipping down to the floor and teeth gritting. "I didn't have an option. I wasn't conscious enough. Captain Kristofferson fetched the doctor when I was fevered, I don't recall the exchange well." He said quietly, defending the only thing he could. 

He was quieter now, watching the ground, looking far-away. Nothing he could say would improve things, he could see, so he locked those parts away and just listened for when it was over. There was no place or person he could retreat to. He would just have to wait. She wouldn't listen to or care about what he had gone through, she wouldn't care about his reasons or the fact that no person could be perfect. "What would you like me to do to be  _ useful, _ your Highness?" He asked, the politely positive service tone of his voice not matching the hopeless look on his face even remotely. There was a certain emphasis on 'useful', as if use was the highest aspiration he could hope for. He spoke like a servant, but he held himself again like a prisoner. Perhaps it was a good reminder. Of all the things he could be, he was still a worthless broken mirror.   
  


Anna was panting from her outburst. "Why are you asking  **me** ?  _ I have no use for you _ ," she let out gratingly. Maybe she had been too harsh calling him useless. He probably shouldn't have asked while she was still fuming, because it might have been just the anger talking. Anna did tend to let emotions get the better of her.    
  
  
  
Hans seemed to shrink a little in his place, crossing his arms over his chest, not defensively, but as a self-comfort. He didn't look at her again, didn't move his eyes or say anything. There was nothing to say. He had no uses, she was right. He wished he could be removed from her life, but he wasn't allowed to die, either. No matter what happened, someone always seemed to save him. He didn't deserve sympathy, why bother telling her he had tried? She wouldn't care anyway, she might have even said he should have tried harder. And she would be right, again. His gaze remained fixed somewhere on the floor or opposite wall, seeming afraid to move it. Kristoff didn't like the way this was turning, but he felt it wasn't his place to say it wasn't deserved. It was, Hans had tried to kill the sisters, after all. Anna hadn't said anything that didn't make sense. He gently rubbed her back instead, to try and remind her that he was there, and that she didn't have to be angry for the rest of the day. She needed some peace, too. For everyone's sake.   
  
  


The three of them remained there awkwardly in silence.

Anna slowly regained her breath and calmed down with Kristoff's gentle touch. Even if she was right, she realized she might have taken things a little too far in her fit of rage. As she caught her breath her eyes caught sight of the ice blade as they browsed the room. Elsa had let him keep the sword? 'Are you kidding me Elsa, you left Hans with a sword in an unlocked room?! And I thought I was the crazy one.' Anna let out a deep sigh. "You know, I..." she began softly. "I may not have a use for you... but apparently my sister does, for some unknown reason,"Anna continued. "I really don't trust you,  _ at all _ , but Elsa does and I trust her... So maybe the least I can do... is give you the benefit of the doubt...as well as an opportunity to actually prove to me that you can be trusted. 

"I can't forgive you for what you did...but if Elsa was willing to give you a second chance... maybe I can too..." Anna said pensively. "... just don't you dare hurt my sister, because if you do... let's just say you haven't seen the full extent of my wrath."   
  
  


Hans hardly seemed to notice she was speaking, his posture didn't change, his gaze hadn't moved, he seemed to tremble slightly, though it could have been a trick of the light. Kristoff looked uncertain, and shifted to get between Hans and whatever he was looking at, crouching down to check his eyes. Hans seemed unfocused. "Hey, hey. You in there?" He snapped his fingers and waved in front of Hans' face just to try and draw his eyes. Hans refocused a bit, but didn't seem any more inclined to say anything.

"Nothing I say or do will help anything, what do you need me for? I suppose being flogged and stabbed protecting Arendelle wasn't enough. That's fine, I'll endure anything you can throw at me, or die trying. I've tried, but the dying never seems to take." It wasn't a joke, if anything it was a nuisance. He still didn't look at either of them, only shifting his gaze further away. "Yes it's the easy way, the coward's way. So I'm a coward, and everything else, you're right. Will there be anything else?" He finally shifted his gaze back to Anna, a flicker of pain running through him. There was no sarcasm, only acknowledgement and mental pain. The shaking was not a trick of the light, at that moment. There was a fear deeper than a blade could cut. Looking her in the eye was harder than any pain he had yet faced, but she had demanded he do that. If he couldn't be useful to her, he could at least look her in the eye, surely? Even if he had to use all of his willpower to hold back the pain it caused. He wasn't worthy of sympathy, what else were tears good for? He would bear her abuse with strength or be even more useless for his weakness.   
  


Concern crossed Anna's face as Hans spoke and grew exponentially once their eyes met, seeing how broken he truly was too much to bear. She had definitely gone too far, that she'd shattered his neutral mask and broken him even more. "I'm sorry," she apologized, averting her eyes.   
  
  


"You shouldn't be, you're right about everything." He assured, dropping his gaze as soon as she dropped hers, to save him from tears. "Do let me know if you find a use for me. I may never be able to earn your forgiveness, but it doesn't mean I can't try nonetheless." His tone returned again to the polite servant's tone, but his expression was still the upset, faraway look he'd had earlier. He wanted only for this conversation to end, and to not be seen again. For the day, perhaps forever. But he knew he wouldn't get the latter.   
  
  


" _ You're not useless _ , but you shouldn't ask me to assign you a one either," Anna murmured, letting out a sigh. "Just...be kind to Elsa and don't break her heart."   
  
  


Hans didn't seem to believe her. He continued to look away, still upset, still with a slight tremor. "I won't." He promised. "I'll do nothing to harm her happiness or health, nor yours if I can help it any further. I'm at Her Majesty's service, or will be once I can stand without further injuring myself. I'll make an effort to stay out of your way. Unless you need a punching bag, anyway. In that case, you know where to find me. I know how to stand still." It wasn't chastisement, just a fact. He would be there, and he would stand for her to hit, if that's what she wanted. A man should have a use, and at least a punching bag had a purpose.   
  
  


Anna didn't know how to respond, and she thought anything she'd say would only make matters worse. She turned to Kristoff for guidance. Anna really didn't wish to continue using Hans as a punching bag, when she had already added enough insult to injury. The whole confrontation didn't go at all as she expected. She thought Hans would’ve at least fought back, but all he did was sit there and take her bombardment of anger filled words. Anna should have known that from the beginning when he was nothing but courteous to her, but still she pressed on. Anna thought letting out all her frustration on him would have made her feel better. It really didn't. And now she felt bad, because she saw something in his eyes she didn't expect to see. He was hurting. She's seen in his eyes and with his tremble. She'd been seeing Hans as nothing more than a monster, but she was wrong in doing so, Hans had made monstrous mistakes, but he was in fact a man. A broken man, but a man nonetheless; he wasn't emotionless, even though he tried his hardest to suppress them. She had treated him more like rubbish and less like a person and that wasn't right. She thought Hans was incapable of remorse and that was a cruel thing to assume.   
  
  


Kristoff looked between the two of them, impassive and thoughtful. He could see Anna's remorse, and Hans'... entire self, really. Kristoff doubted he was as much a mirror as he thought he was. Maybe in extreme situations, but not entirely. "People make bad choices when they're mad, or scared, or stressed." Kristoff observed. "I tend to say things the wrong way when I'm stressed, and sometimes I seem angry when really I'm scared. I think maybe you two have made some similar bad choices like that. We're not defined by them." It was an invitation. Maybe if Anna opened up about her stress-choices, maybe at least it would calm them both down a little. He suspected it was a vain hope, however. Hans seemed too far out of it to want to talk anymore. He just hoped to end this conversation on a somewhat hopeful note before he could escort Anna out of the room. Men didn't like to cry, least of all in front of women-- but he suspected Hans really needed some time alone at that moment.   
  
  


That was good troll wisdom. Anna gave a pensive hum. " _ Everybody _ is a bit a Fixer-Upper, including myself."   
  
  


Hans didn't seem encouraged by that. Really, he hardly seemed to be listening. Kristoff moved to step near Anna again. "We should go." He said, but glanced back at the sword, wondering if they should take it-- for Hans' sake. It might only make things worse. He decided it was probably best to trust him not to stand up and stress his stitches. "He needs time, right now. I don't think we'll get any positive impact from here." He wondered if he should have held Anna back from this. That was his mistake, perhaps, but maybe they both needed that, to fully reflect on the damage.   
  
  


Anna only nodded in agreement, looking back at Hans with concern as they made their way out. Maybe Elsa had been right in trying to prevent them from colliding, they indeed had hurt each other, but not in the way that was expected.   
  
  


Kristoff escorted Anna out, and only when she was gone did Hans seem to release his hold on himself-- and maybe some of his emotions, too. 

"Still think you'll need me to keep you safe?" Kristoff asked, with neither amusement nor judgement. He didn't feel like he needed to explain what happened or how Hans was feeling. "D'you need to talk about it?" Maybe they couldn't help Hans now, but he could help Anna process, he hoped.   
  
  


"No, but can you stay anyway," Anna said with a glum look. "Yes, I need to talk." She nodded with her lips pressed firmly together, the threat of tears itching at her eyes. She really needed to process what just happened.   
  
  


Kristoff wrapped an arm around her shoulder to escort Anna back to her room. He couldn't say he was surprised, per se, but that had gotten a lot more serious and real than he had expected. He wasn't sure if he expected Anna to balk or for Hans to snap or show her his scars or find some other way to gain the sympathy he may have even deserved. One or the other, but neither had happened. They had just mutually destroyed each-other with the truth, it seemed. He passed a little gesture to the Captain as they passed, a quiet shake of his head and 'cut' gesture, to suggest that he not visit Hans again that night, or ask too many questions. 

"Tell me about it?" He suggested, as they returned to Anna's room.   
  
  


"That was hard, I didn't think... _ that _ would happen," Anna started, there was a knot in her throat. "Do you think I took things too far? I was so just so angry I didn't even consider that he would... That I could...I think I broke him." Deep concern crossed her face.   
  
  


"For now, you did." Kristoff nodded, understanding and pensive. "I think there were some things in there that may have hit below the belt without you necessarily realizing it at the time. And I think maybe he's got some mental trauma you don't know about." He didn't want to tell her that it felt like watching someone get physically beaten, but it kind of did. "What  _ did _ you think would happen? He got stabbed trying to protect you and your sister, did you remember that? He couldn't stand up. He would have ripped his stitches if he did." He wouldn't judge Anna, it made perfect sense to him that she would be that angry. But, he wanted to know what drove her to be where she was. "Probably why they left the sword in his room, he can't hurt anybody with it if he can't get out of bed."   
  
  


Anna grimaced with guilt. "I don't know...I was waiting for the vile villain to display itself. Yes, I knew he was physically hurt, but I was just expecting some ulterior motive. I, of course, got neither, it was rude of me to assume...but it's hard for me to put  _ any _ trust back in the very hands of the person I blindly gave my heart to, only to have it torn to shreds, I guess I'm afraid he'd do it all over again."   
  
  


"Honestly? Yeah, I can see why you would feel that way. And I don't blame you." Kristoff shrugged. "I can't fully trust him either after what he did. I'll be nice to him, but I don't have to trust him. It might be rude to assume, but it would be weird not to, after what he did." Kristoff believed in measure. All things in measure. “I don't think you were wrong to say what you did." He shrugged a little, considering the whole matter. "We didn't think he was a bad guy last time, either, and that changed. It's reasonable to still be suspicious now. But my question is, when will he have proven himself? We don't have to answer that question right now, but it might be good to think about. If he really is looking to redeem himself, can it be done?"   
  
  


Anna let out a melancholy sigh. "I really don't know... but Elsa seems to have faith in him."   
  


"Hmm, just think about it, okay?" He hummed. Gently, he scooped Anna up into his arms to hold her, and try to soothe her concerns, like he would rock a child to sleep. "Maybe she saw something in him that we didn't. Maybe it's her turn to learn some things. We'll see, I suppose." He hummed, calm and gentle. "Whatever comes, I'll keep you safe, and I'll be here for you." That much, he could promise.

Anna nodded, nuzzling herself in his embrace. "I love you, Kristoff," She reminded him, she didn't need to, but felt right in that moment.   
  


"I love you too, feistypants." Kristoff teased sweetly, and kissed her temple.


	15. Dejected

Hans remained quiet for the evening. He spoke only sparingly to the doctor, admitting that he wasn't in a mood to chat, while his bandages were changed as usual. He said nothing as the doctor tutted at him for snapping a stitch, and fixed it. As usual he refused pain medication, and went right back to laying down. He didn't acknowledge when food was brought in, and by the time Elsa arrived, still hadn't acknowledged the tray. He never ate in front of people, but usually he at least ate, barring when he slept through pain. If anything, he seemed as isolated from reality as he had when he had awaited trial on his ship. Silent and far-away.   
  
  


Elsa had wondered if it was a good idea to visit Hans today at all, after her chat with Anna earlier that day. Yet, she'd promised to visit him to the best of her availability. She thought she should at least try to visit him, if briefly to check in on him.    
  
On her way to his room she crossed paths with the Captain. He knew where she was heading and decided it was best to advise.    
  
"I wouldn't visit him today. If I were you, Your Majesty," he cautioned. "He might not be in the best of spirits for having company right now." 

Of course he wasn't going to stop the Queen if she still wished to visit, he just thought to give her a friendly warning. 

The Captain's words concerned her, now giving her more reason to go check-in on Hans. As soon as she opened the door she could  _ feel _ an unpleasant aura emanating from the room. The chamber felt dark and  _ cold _ , even to her. As soon as she laid eyes on him she saw how distant and dejected he looked, she knew something had really gone awry. Elsa would have apologized for coming by so late, but he seemed so out of sorts to even care for trivial formalities. Instead she made her way to the bedside. She took note of the untouched food on the bedside table. Once she was close enough to really examine his face up close, she noticed a few discrepancies that weren't there before. Firstly, she noticed that his cheek was inflamed, and she could have sworn it had already healed; Secondly she noticed a slight puffiness to his eyes, that did not look like they came from tiredness. She sat beside him, and gently touched his hand. "You haven't touched your food," she stated, knowing she couldn't directly ask him if he was alright.   
  
  
  
"I'm not in the habit of eating with others around, and it seems I keep getting visitors." He replied, his tone light, but not remotely matching his face. He had some odd ability to do that, it seemed. Perfect voice control, even while not bothering to try with his face. It was a lie through and through, and it was perhaps an indicator that he didn't want visitors to begin with. It was most obviously a lie in that the food was cold, and he couldn't possibly have had that many visitors in a day. "I'm sorry, but I'm not in much a mood for chatting today. I've said perhaps more than I ought to, lately, and done precious little. Perhaps when my wounds are healed." That could be weeks, however, and was a far cry from his desperate desire for conversation before. Perhaps this was the Hans that escaped the Southern Isles, the one that hated being there and did all he could to go unnoticed. He even spoke quieter.   
  
  


Elsa was greatly afflicted; she had never seen Hans this despondent, it was quite disheartening and she was afraid of leaving him alone.    
  
"You don't need to speak, if you don't wish to do so," she said softly as she brought her hand against his reddened cheek.   
  
  
  


Hans closed his eyes and turned them away from her, just slightly-- but it also brought his cheek a little closer to her hand. 

"Please," He muttered, but  _ 'Leave me be' _ went unspoken. He couldn't bear to ask her to leave, not when her presence and sympathy brought him so much company. The lightness dropped from his tone, he was clearly miserable, and just didn't want to share that with her. No, as usual, he tried to hide his pains, even if they didn't leave marks. The slap to his cheek was nothing, he didn't even feel it anymore. It was the rest that hurt. Everything else, everything Anna had said, bit at him worse than any blade could.   
  
  


Elsa let her hand linger on his cheek for a long moment, looking at his forlorn face. She let out a sigh, as she slowly retracted her hand, she was going to grant him the space he wanted even if it hurt her to do so.    
  
"Please try to eat, alright?" she coaxed, as she shifted to get up. Elsa would have attempted to feed him herself, but it seemed he had enough of people for one day.   
  


He sighed a little, too, and reached up just a little. Not enough to take her hand, but enough to brush it. Not away. Just, a touch. Then he retracted back into himself. Was it strange that he felt he cared for her more in that moment, than any other time? He didn't have to express everything to her for her to understand his pain. He didn't have to pour his heart out for her to sympathize, and most telling of all, she cared about him. Even if he didn't deserve it, she wanted him to recover and be happier. It was too much, in truth. He trusted she would leave, as he curled in on himself a little more, and felt a new wave of tears threaten to fall. He listened for the door. He couldn't cry in front of anyone else, it was bad enough that he had tears at all. Men weren't meant to cry. Not in his family.   


Elsa looked back at Hans one more time, before she let the door click behind her. She let out a sorrowful sigh, something or more likely  _ someone _ had greatly affected him. He mentioned he'd kept getting visitors today, and that made her wonder:  _ Had Anna come to confront him? _ That's the only explanation she could think of why he'd be so visibly upset. What exactly had they said to each other? It had to be pretty bad if even Hans was having trouble hiding all of his pain like he normally did. She had to go to find Anna to find out, especially considering Hans was noticeably distraught, she could only imagine her little sister would be in a similar state as well.   
  
  
  
It wasn't hard to find the pair. Kristoff was in Anna's room-- which, with anyone  _ else _ might have been alarming, but Kristoff was a gentleman among gentlemen. He wouldn't do anything without Elsa's say-so, for certain. Indeed, at the moment, he was humming and holding Anna in her room, easy enough to hear from the other side of the door, trying to calm her spirits and make everything -he hoped- a little better. He was always a pretty even-headed young man, and not one for rash decisions.   
\--

_Knock Knock_   
  
"Anna, may I come in?" Elsa called through the door. "I wish to speak to you."  
  


  
Anna was less than happy about an intrusion, but she pulled herself away from Kristoff to meet Elsa at the door, with a sheepish and clearly not-super-happy attempt at a smile.

"Hey, sure, come in." She had a suspicion what it was about. It had to be Hans, right? "Soo, I'm gonna guess you visited him and he wasn't his usual self, huh?" Why else would she be there? At least she knew his dejected look had to be real, then. "How bad was it?" She couldn't help but cringe. This wasn't going to be a fun conversation, but she had to know.   
  
  
  


"Pretty bad," Elsa said with a nod as she made her way in. "Bad enough to the point that I think he'd possibly been crying? His eyes looked pretty puffy to me. What exactly did you tell him, Anna? And did you  _ strike _ him? His cheek was pretty red as well."   
  
  
  
Anna cringed a little. Crying was a little... unexpected.   
  
"I did." She admitted, looking only a little regretful about it. But she huffed and crossed her arms. "He  _ did _ try to kill us. I'm-- I just can't believe he's not here for something bad. He told me what his plans were when he got here, he was trying to  _ use _ me to fix his own problems! So, yeah, I got mad." She still sounded a little defeated, though. She suspected Elsa was going to defend  _ Hans _ on this one, and that didn't help her mood.    
  
"I didn't think I said anything  _ that _ bad." And yet, she could pinpoint where he shrank, and when he stopped being all there. She didn't know why it upset him so much. Nothing she said after that seemed to make anything any less bad. She shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to admit where things had gone horribly wrong. It felt like Elsa would just get mad at her-- even though she totally had every right to be angry at Hans for what he'd done, right? What sane person wouldn't be mad?   
  
  
  


"Anna," Elsa disappointingly sighed. "I don't know what was said, but this is exactly what I feared would happen, actually it might be worse than I imagined," she continued with a shake of the head. "Was he hostile towards you, as well?" Elsa asked, curious to know if the quarrel was warranted to escalate or if it was one-sided like she suspected.   
  
  


Anna cringed a little, realizing that, really, it was pretty one-sided. "He was... just fine. He was super polite and it made me nervous. Remember, that's what he was like  _ before _ too." She pointed out. "How are we supposed to know what he's really like, after everything we went through? After everything  _ I _ went through? You didn't talk to him before the winter like I did, you didn't get to know what he was like. He seemed so genuine back  _ then, _ too.”    
  
Kristoff seemed thoughtful, at that. He didn't say anything, but knitted his hands together on his lap and watched everything unfold in silence, as he had with Hans.   
  
"I just don't want him to do to you what he did to me. It's all smiles and easy laughs and chivalry until you need him, and then he's--" She took a deep, angry breath, trying not to snap at Elsa too, for falling for it. Couldn't Anna be stupid enough for both of them? Did they  _ both _ have to fall for the same monster's tricks? "Door unlocked and now he's got a sword. I sure hope you know what you're doing."

Elsa listened to Anna's concerns; they were all valid considering what happened between them.    
  
"You're right, I didn't get a chance to know him back then, yet I don't think he's the same person he was back then anymore, but neither are  _ we _ . I believe he's changed Anna or at least trying his best to. When he first arrived I also thought he was the same deceptive monster from the fjord, but then I realized he was only human, one that's made terrible mistakes, just like  **me** . I'm not saying you should forgive and forget his monstrous actions as if they didn't happen --even though you seemed to do easily do that for me-- you don't even need to trust him, I know that's too much to ask, after what he's done, but at least give him a chance to prove that he's not the irredeemable monster you fear he is.    
  


"I won't let him hurt me like that, I haven't given him my heart, but I  _ trust _ he won't try to harm me nor Arendelle. He was already there when  _ I _ , when Arendelle needed him, if Hans hadn't fought to protect Arendelle during the invasion, I don't think we would have managed without him. He's bedridden right now, because he got injured defending us, and that's on top of the inflictions he already incurred. He couldn't have aided us at all if the door hadn't been unlocked. As for the sword...well, it's a symbol of trust, in more than one way you can say," She acknowledged, she was giving a blade back to the very man that almost struck her with one, after all. "It's a Southern Isles tradition, and he seems to take them to heart."   
  
  


Anna listened, but she still didn't seem too thrilled about any of it. "Hey, don't start with that 'I'm just as bad as he is' stuff, okay?  _ He _ locked me in a room to die.  _ You _ accidentally hurt me because you have unknowable powers nobody could expect you to have a grip on when nobody taught you how to use them, alright? It's not the same." Anna was still quick to comfort Elsa and try to pull her away from those thoughts. "I don't talk about it, or try to think about it too much, but I'm pretty sure I  _ died _ for a minute on the fjord. I'm not ready to put that behind me. I had a lot of trust for him once, too. I won't say it's impossible for him to be a decent person, but I'm definitely not looking to believe him, either. ...Wait  _ why _ was the door unlocked  _ before _ the attack?" This cake seemed to have layers, and she wasn't sure she liked the flavors. 

"Safety." Kristoff offered, from the back. He truly did listen to everything, even if sometimes he pretended he didn't. "With things required for healing, they couldn't confiscate everything from him for his safety and ours, and there's no windows into that room from the hall. A prison has bars, you know what to expect on the inside. A bedroom doesn't, so the guards could check him quickly without being invasive. In a way, it's as bad as a prison, he gets the illusion of privacy with none of the perks. I imagine it's a lot easier to be a smart mouth toward guards when there's a barred door between the two, you'd have to go through extra motions to unlock it to bridge the gap, and in that there's more time to decide it's a bad idea. The room has none of that." Kristoff knew full well that wasn't the reason, but it was a reason that satisfied Anna, at least. He nodded to Elsa, as if to reassure her that he was doing his best to temper her a little.   
  
  


Elsa tried to hold her tongue and fight back the words itching to come out, especially with Kristoff trying to help her put Anna at ease. She tried but to no avail, she couldn't conceal the  _ truth _ anymore.   
  
"Anna, I know it's not the same, but I'm still the one responsible for putting you in that situation in the first place, there's no denying that. My mistakes didn't just affect you either, it was our entire Kingdom, I brought it to shambles. I hurt countless people both directly and indirectly with all my bad mistakes. What's worse is I'd almost ended up killing two men, deliberately, up at the Ice Palace. If Hans hadn't snapped me out of my darkness at that moment I'm afraid I would have  _ actually _ become the  _ monster _ everybody feared." Elsa looked down at her hands, She never told Anna the last part, it had been brushed under the rug, and hadn't ever been brought up in conversation, since Hans' villainous deeds were all anyone ever seemed to remember. Where was she going with this? She forgot for a moment. "What I'm trying to say is people still got hurt regardless of my intentions, especially  _ you _ . With or without Hans in the equation, the fact still stands that I almost lost you,  _ because of the frozen heart I inflicted on you _ , even if it was accidental. It's not a matter of thinking I'm just as bad as him or not. I just don't think it's fair that I got away with only a slap on the wrist, with all the damage I caused; And it's also unfair to continue to shift  **all** the blame onto Hans, when I should be held accountable for what I did as well." Elsa had spoken her mind, but this time she was doing it more matter-of-factly rather than out of the darkness of her guilt. It was all the truth and oftentimes the truth is what hurts the most.   
  
  


Anna wasn't sure how to respond to that. She still felt like it wasn't the same, but she couldn't find the way to express her frustration or feelings on the matter. Kristoff stood, with his usual ponderous slowness, and meandered over to set a hand on Anna's shoulder. "Now is probably a good time to stop and reflect a while, before someone says something they don't mean." He proposed. 

"We're just discussing, we're not getting into an argument." Anna protested, perhaps a bit too much. 

"No, I know you are babe. But you've both had a long and stressful day already, full of things to do. Best to finish this conversation in better starting spirits. Anna, when you're stressed you have a habit of hitting a person's weak spots without knowing it. Elsa gets stressed and makes ice. I'd rather neither of you get stressed about anything for any reason." 

"I do  _ not." _ Anna said, but it sounded more like a question. 

"Tell Hans that. You're taking a break." Kristoff patted Anna's head, like one would with a rabbit. Heavy but not aggressive. She settled a little, that way.   
  
  


Elsa took a deep sigh. Kristoff was right, he was a neutral party for the most part, carefully listening, but when he spoke he truly was the voice of reason. 

"You're right it's been a  _ very _ long day, and it's probably best we leave this discussion here and get back to it later, once we had some time to sleep on it. We could  _ all _ use some rest," Elsa agreed. She still had no idea what exactly was said to upset Hans so, but it was probably best she didn't know, at least right now, because Anna was right in assuming it would also upset Elsa more. Everyone was already upset enough. That's why Kristoff was wise to stop their discussion for he knew it would devolve into argument sooner or later if they continued it with deteriorating spirits. Elsa felt like she was cornered in this dispute, because she cared for both Anna and Hans. Hans had hurt Anna deeply, she knew that, but she still wished Anna could at least give him a second chance. Anna had ended up hurting Hans too, and that too was heartbreaking, but she also didn't wish to fight her sister over it. She could understand why Anna felt like history was repeating itself. But Elsa really didn't wish for Hans to drive a wedge between her and her sister. In fact, Elsa wished  _ she _ could somehow be the bridge connecting Hans and Anna, she wanted them to get along, without hurting one another anymore. She knew that wouldn't come easy considering their tragic history, but she could at least hope, because all this hurting was really taking a toll on her too.   
  
  


Anna and Kristoff both nodded, perhaps all involved relieved that the conversation was ending. 

"May I walk you to your room, your Majesty? If it's alright with Anna, of course. I'll be right back." He promised sweetly. 

"Hm? Oh, yeah, of course. Just come back quick, alright?" Anna smiled and kissed Kristoff's cheek. She was more than happy to let Kristoff be alone with Elsa-- because she suspected sooner or later he was going to ask for permission to marry her. Probably not the best time at that particular moment, but hey, at least he was likely to keep it a surprise, and that was always fun. Kristoff returned the kiss to the top of Anna's head, sweet and affectionate and not-too-intimate when they were still dating. More than friends, but not inappropriately so. Moreover, it was an excuse for Elsa to have time to talk to Kristoff, who knew he could be the more even-headed-- and wasn't as afraid of telling the truth, if Elsa asked it. "Shall we?" He proposed, gesturing for Elsa to lead. "Unless you've things to do, of course. I shouldn't assume."   
  
  


"Oh, of course, I have nothing else to do, and how could I refuse such a kind gentlemanly offer from Lord Kristoff?" She smiled and took the lead towards the door. "Goodnight, Anna," she said softly with a smile. Even though they were having a disagreement, Elsa didn't want to leave things sour with her sweet sister.

"G'night Else!" Anna didn't seem to hold any hard feelings, either. She was frustrated, but not  _ angry _ by any means. And who knew, maybe Kristoff would help sort things out. He always seemed to. 

Kristoff was happy to lead Elsa out, as proper as anyone could ask. He wasn't fond of the 'lord' thing, or of trying to be proper, but he did it because he loved Anna and wanted to spend some time in her life. He made it clear enough that he would be happy living his old life, but he chose to spend time in the castle because he loved Anna dearly. 

"So, anything else on your mind?" He asked, when they were some distance from Anna's room, and could safely talk without being overheard. "I love Anna, but I know how she is sometimes. I was there, if there's any questions." He didn't consider it 'going behind Anna's back' per se. He loved her dearly, but this was something he felt needed to be explained fully, if questions were to be asked.   
  
  
  
"I know. I love her too, but sometimes she can be a bit...much and she says and does things without thinking them through. Am I safe to assume that's what happened?" She inquired. "I have a lot on my mind, it's truly been a long day, but I only have one question I really wish for you to answer, that is if you can." Elsa admitted. "Do you know what Anna said or did exactly that made Hans so...dejected? I need to understand so I can do what can to address it tomorrow, and at least try to console him. He tries really hard to mask all pain, so to see some actually seep through, especially to that extent, is well... disheartening, to say the least. He was pretty...broken and it worries me, I was almost afraid to leave him alone."   
  
  


Kristoff nodded, looking concerned as well. "I had the same fear, actually. I can tell the guards to keep an ear out for anything that sounds suspicious, before I return to Anna?" He suggested, looking intrigued and, perhaps, almost equally worried. Kristoff didn't have fear for Hans for any attachment to the man, but simply because he valued life for what it was, in all creatures. Even the wolves that hunted Sven deserved quick deaths, he thought, and he would never draw their pain out. Perhaps his opinion would change if one ever significantly hurt his friend, but he hadn't felt that yet. 

"Yeah, actually. I think I can pinpoint it." He thought back and frowned a little, tilting his head. "It was such an odd exchange. In the conversation, when Anna was getting angry, Hans said something along the lines of 'What would you like me to do to be  _ useful' _ . Something in that phrasing struck me as odd. It had nothing to do with what either of them had been saying before. Anna replied with  _ 'Why are you asking me? I have no use for you'. _ and after that he looked like a kicked hound. I sort of tried to encourage Anna to leave and be done with him after that. Maybe not as fast as I should have. Even she seemed to feel bad about that. I wasn't joking when I said she knows how to get to weak points. It's her type, in the same way you and I tend to be calm in the face of true danger and anxious around social situations, she's driven by matters of the heart. Everyone has a type, and there's different markers for it. But... Now I'm just getting into the things I've learned from home. Sorry, you're probably not interested in that." He scratched the back of his neck a little, awkwardly. He figured Elsa wasn't interested in what the trolls had to teach him, least of all when it was about personality types. "I hope they're both feeling better tomorrow, and can address this again differently."   
  


Elsa nodded at Kristoff's suggestion of having someone keep an eye on Hans, just in case he let his darkness consume him. She trusted Hans, but he wasn't really in the right head space at the moment and it was better to be safe than sorry. 

"I see," Elsa responded rather meekly at the reveal. So, he thought he was  _ useless _ , that was indeed a low blow. Being considered useless would hurt anyone's confidence, but maybe even more so the 13th Prince of the Southern Isles, already being deemed unlucky and the extra of an already 'perfect' dozen.   
  


Elsa let out a sigh. "I really hope so, I don't want them to continue harming each other, they've done enough of that already. They need to start healing. I guess for now, all we can only hope for a brighter tomorrow," she said pensively. "Thank you for clearing things up a bit for me, by the way, Kristoff... oh, and also for taking care of Anna, I appreciate it more than I'm able to express," she softly said, gently touching his bicep. " We're really lucky to have you." Elsa meant it, she admired him greatly, for his gentleness, wisdom and his undying love for her sister, to name only a few of his outstanding qualities, among the countless others that made up his character.   
  
  


Kristoff seemed uncertain for a moment, shifting just a little in place. "It means a lot to hear you say that, your Majesty." He assured. 

"While you're thinking that, may I ask something else? I don't want to seem... hm, overzealous? But it's important to me. Maybe I shouldn't ask, but I've already started talking, so here goes." He slowed to a halt so they could talk, especially further from Anna's door; nervousness increasing with every step. "Right now, I'm not asking to marry Anna yet. But, I would like permission from you sometime before I do ask, to bring her to my home for a night. It's a lot to ask, and I know how that sounds, but hear me out." He was quick to put on hold any thoughts of what a man could do alone with the princess for a night. "I live in the forest, within my means. I hunt, I clean pelts, I garden, I fetch water, I arguably live almost like I don't earn an income at all, because I want to live parallel to nature without conflicting with it. But I'm dating a princess, and I can't assume she'll be okay with my lifestyle. I swear I have no ill intent, but I have to know how she feels about my home and the way I live before I make any eternal vows. I don't think I could be comfortable in a castle forever, I assume she would be just as uncomfortable in my home, but if we can both tolerate each-other's lives, I hope we can find a middle ground, or at least a timeshare of some kind. I feel like it would be unfair to both of us to jump into anything without knowing, you know? If you don't like the idea, I'm open to other solutions?"

No wonder he was nervous, if the people heard there would be tittering for months. He knew Elsa tended to overreact when she was upset, so his ask was spoken humbly and carefully. He never wanted to overstep his boundaries, no matter how open the sisters tried to make them. "I don't need an answer right away, but I'd like her to visit before the winter ice harvesting season opens, if it's possible at all." Definitely not a short wait. Kristoff was a patient man, and one who understood caution better than most. Caution was his job out on the ice, after all.   
  
  


There was no denying that Elsa was a bit surprised by the request at first. It wasn't the boldness that took her by surprise though, but the idea of her little sister growing up so fast, she felt like they'd barely got reunited, it was hard to believe that marriage (a proper one) might be looming right around the corner for her dear Anna. Deep in Elsa's heart Anna was still that little girl asking her to build a snowman. She didn't doubt Kristoff, she knew well that he bore no ill-intent towards her sister, he was a gentleman through and through, and wouldn't deliberately do anything to harm Anna or tarnish her reputation. Even if Kristoff and Anna loved each other with all their hearts, they undeniably were people from different walks of life. Kristoff was a man of the wilderness and no matter how hard you try to disguise it (with trifling things like suits and titles), it was a part of who he was, a mountain man. Though he did try his best to adapt to Anna's lifestyle without losing himself in the process, yet in order to have a lasting relationship there had to be a compromise, the adapting had to go both ways. A real relationship couldn't stand forever if it was one-sided, there had to be a give and take, to create a perfect balance so they could both live happily together. Kristoff had already given a lot of himself, it was only fair that Anna meet him halfway, especially if they intend to get married in the near future. Anna needed to know if what she and Kristoff had was the right thing for her or not. Elsa briefly paused to ponder, but didn't hesitate at all in giving him her verdict.    
  
"Kristoff Bjorgman," Elsa began. "I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, grant you permission for your request." She smiled. "I trust your devotion for my sister and I know you mean no malice. You just want her to be able to decide without any doubts, if she wishes to continue and wants to take the next step. And I too want Anna to know for certain if that's what she truly wants to pursue, as well."   
  
  


Kristoff breathed a visible sigh of relief, and nodded. "Thank you." He bounced a little on his toes, thinking about how to plan to ask her and what to do. "I'll... I'll go ask the guards to watch Hans. And make plans, I suppose. I want to make sure I get this relationship right." He was clearly doing his damnedest, all to protect Anna and make her feel safe and loved.   
  
  


Elsa smiled at his excitement. "Thank you Kristoff," she nodded. They had reached her room already, so she started opening the door. "I know you do. Thanks again for everything. Have a Good Night Kristoff." Elsa made her way in her room, but still looked at him as she addressed him.

  
He nodded, and was off; adding an excited little bounce to his step as he went, as he considered the possible date with Anna on his way to checking on Hans. He was a good young man, doing his best.


	16. Oh Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((These are my writing partner FOW’s Headcanons/OCs of Hans’ brothers.))

Hans' night was less than pleasant, but he woke as the doctor arrived to tend to his wounds again, and breakfast was brought. His dinner tray remained untouched, but he accepted breakfast. 

"Wasn't in the mood." He assured, before anyone could ask about dinner. "I'll take breakfast when company leaves, I'm not accustomed to eating while being observed." He acted as though nothing was wrong and nothing had happened. He had been visibly miserable the night before, but Westergaards were _lions,_ not _sheep_ or _mice._ He would not express his misery for long. He could not be seen to be weak. He had already allowed for too much weakness. He was determined to stand and walk a bit, even if it hurt. Enough to pace, he hoped, if only gently.   
  
  


Elsa had trouble falling asleep after her excruciatingly long day, her mind just wouldn't shut off worrying and overthinking, eventually she passed out from exhaustion. Morning arrived too soon, she stayed in bed a little longer than usual, awake or trying her best to stay that way. She couldn't lay there long, she had her duties to attend to and Hans was her main concern.   
  
Getting some food in her system helped her feel a little more awake, though she continued to yawn frequently, even if she tried her best to resist it. Shortly after breakfast, she decided she had to go see Hans, or else she would be unable to focus. Arriving at the door of his chamber she hesitated for a moment. The guards had left earlier that morning, after the doctor came to visit and saw Hans was alive and well (maybe he was not the latter, but he was the former at least). Elsa considered knocking, which she'd gotten out of the habit of doing with him. She thought if she'd heard his voice first that would ease her going in, but then she ran the risk of Hans sending her off before she could really get a chance to see him. Elsa took a deep breath and quickly grabbed the door knob and made her way in. What she saw when she entered worried her, he was out of bed and standing or at least trying his hardest to, she knew he'd likely pop his stitches if he overexerted himself before he (or at least his body) was ready, possibly prolonging his recovery more than if he'd just been patient.   
  
  


Hans adjusted his shirtsleeves, looking out the window thoughtfully. 

"Good morning, your Majesty." He remarked, his tone light, but his face more serious than perhaps he ordinarily would have had it. "Don't worry, I'll eat later. I just haven't gotten to it yet. Wanted to get a little more movement. You've no idea how exhausting it is to be unable to move until you are." Though he kept his tone even, he was certainly not moving much, and after a long pause, reached out to steady himself on the wall as he moved carefully back to the bed. It was clear it still hurt significantly, and he wasn't taking any chances he didn't feel he had to. He made it seem like it had nothing to do with Anna or their conversation last night. It seemed he would do all he could to avoid the thought.  
  
  
  
Elsa was still concerned, especially seeing his serious face. It was obvious moving was a real struggle. She was sure what Anna said had brought about his stubbornness to get out of bed and try to do _something_. Elsa really wished to scold him for trying to force himself, but knew that might not be the best idea. She sighed heavily.

"I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to be stuck in bed for so long, especially considering you'd almost fully healed and then a surprise attack brought you back to square one," she sympathized. "Just please be careful, we wouldn't want you to strain your body too much before it's better," she cautioned him. Elsa slowly approached him, keeping her distance, but was ready to assist him in a second should he come to stumble.

Hans nodded, and moved back to the bed with slow, firm steps. In spite of his calm and unaffected face, it still _looked_ painful. He sat again and gestured as if to ask her if that made her happy, without his usual sense of humor about it. 

"It _is_ a frustration, to not have things to do, or indeed, ways with which to do it. I'd sooner be in chains, at least in those I could walk, stitches, I find, are much more restrictive-- when they aren't snapping. I may have popped one last night, though I forget what I'd done to do that." He certainly didn't forget what would have made him move, just which gesture in particular did that. His conversation was colder than usual, none of his typical good humor or light sarcasm or even his ill-advised self-deprecating remarks. Instead, it seemed fairly clinical.   
  


"I'd just as soon be doing government work. No offense to your wonderful choices of books, but at least I feel productive when I'm reading documents. Not that I'd ordinarily have much to do with anything beyond orders, wanted posters, and shipping papers, but I do have a talent for people, generally." Not always. But then, if he wanted to manipulate Anna a second time, he'd had tactics. He didn't. He very decisively didn't want to show her his scars or throw anything back, when he knew he deserved the harsh words he got. He very specifically didn't mention his conversation with Anna, he didn't want to bring that up again to damage his new day. Better to move on, and get back to himself. Or whatever he assumed himself to be, today. It certainly seemed different from who he was the day before.  
  
  


Elsa wished to discuss what Anna had said to him last night, and tell him what Kristoff had suggested, that Anna would strike people where it hurt the most without realizing when she was angry, but she didn't mean it. Yet, Hans seemed to want to put what had happened between him and Anna behind him, he was still certainly not his usual self, but much less distant than last night and Elsa didn't wish to sour his mood again. Elsa bit her lip and pondered for a moment. 

"Hmm...You know, you might not be able to help with my paperwork directly, per se, but I think there is a way you could assist me and lighten my load. It still involves reading, though, a lot of it actually. I spend a lot of time doing research --too much time actually-- looking for certain bits of information in books, I think it might make my job a whole lot easier if I had someone helping me with the research for me and summarize the information I need. I feel bad loading you with work while you're trying to recover, but if you really desire something to do, you can aid with that --it's not too straining, well maybe mentally-- and it would be much very appreciated," Elsa suggested.  
  
  


Hans considered the thought a moment, seeming almost distracted from another line of thought. 

"I could take on a few of those tasks for you." He agreed, with a more pleasant tone, though he still seemed to be keeping his face uncommonly neutral. "I've just thought of something I could do, as well. The guard staff need retraining. I can start writing out guidance, perhaps a paper test to see where these guards are at. I'll need to talk to Captain Kristofferson, I'm sure he'll visit later. It seems I get a lot of visitors these days. Not that that's a bad thing." He let a little more of his old smile in, at that. 

"Thank you, for your visit last night. Brief as it was, it was appreciated." He assured her. He still didn't seem to want to talk about _why_ she visited, just to let her know that he appreciated it all the same. "It seems I should have an inordinate amount of time on my hands while I heal. I'll certainly not be able to train the guard properly if I can't lift a sword. Don't think I wasn't tempted to, but alas, standing is enough to make my stitches complain, I won't chance lifting my arm above my shoulder to claim it from the bureau. Damnable thing about torso injuries-- once you get one, it hurts _everywhere."_ He chuckled a little, wryly. It was true, so far as he could tell.   
  
  
  


"Thank you. That sounds like another great idea, if I catch the Captain in the halls first, I'll be sure to ask him to drop by as soon as he can," she nodded. "Oh, of course, I _promised_ you I'd come visit, didn't I? And I'll try my best to keep it," Elsa reassured him with a tender smile. "And no one expects you to exert yourself more than you're able while you're recovering, so _please_ try to take it easy so you can get back to health as soon as possible,"she insisted as she gazed softly into his eyes. She was a bit relieved that Hans was unable to lift his sword or at least was not going to try.   
  
  
  


"Ability is a funny thing, your Majesty. We are all able to do much more than we think we are. It's just a matter of how much well-being one is willing to trade for it." He admitted, giving a casual shrug. "But, her Majesty would be unhappy if I got injured again. Therefore," He gave an exaggerated shrug. "I have no choice but to simply get better." There, at least, was a hint of his playfulness.

"Perhaps have him wait a half hour or so after you leave. Sooner or later, I ought to get to breakfast." He joked dryly, nodding to the tray. "I imagine you wouldn't be happy if I skipped it again, and I would hate to disappoint." Not for himself, but for her. He didn't seem to care much what happened to himself. But if he truly cared for his health, would he have sailed back into hostile territory in the first place?  
  
  


Elsa could hear bits of his usual playfulness come back and it eased her, if only a little. 

"You're right to assume, her Majesty, would indeed be unhappy," she nodded. So he hadn't eaten his dinner. Maybe she should have fed him last night after all. "Yes, please eat, sooner is preferable, before it gets too cold. If her Majesty finds out you've skipped again she would not only be displeased, but also feel inclined to feed you herself, to ensure you are feeding yourself properly." She didn't know why she kept talking about herself in third person, maybe it was Hans' more seriousness that brought it out.  
  
  


Hans smirked to himself, and stifled an obvious laugh. "If I were a more playful or flirtatious soul, I'd say that would be a perfectly good reason not to eat. But, I've never been a man to allow others to do anything for me." Still, he smiled at the challenge, intentionally trying to fluster her. He truly was the playful and flirtatious foul, even when he tried very much not to be.  
  
  


He easily succeeded in making her face flush, with his words as well as his smile. "Uh-I'm well aware of that," Elsa answered with a slight fluster in her tone. She knew Hans strives to be independent as possible and not be seen as a burden, he did almost let himself die in the dungeon because of it. "Um, before I go, to let you eat, would you like some ice?" Elsa asked. Ice had become her go to deflector to get herself out of an awkward conversation. She hadn't even started thinking of what she was going to do once Hans healed and it was no longer a viable option, she'd become too dependent on the excuse already.  
  
  


Hans kept his expression moderated, a mild smile, though there was still a spark of amusement. "I would be glad for some ice. My wound does still pain me, as you can likely tell. As much as I keep my pains quiet, it would be silly to pretend I don't have them now, I suppose." He smiled a little, gently. Perhaps a big step to admit he had one nonetheless. "And how are _your_ wounds?" He clearly cared about her minor injuries with the same care she had for his stab wound.   
  
  


Elsa had completely forgotten about her own wounds, since they felt insignificant compared to Hans', they were nothing more than a scrape and a bruise. It had been two weeks since the attack so they'd been healing up nicely since then. She had incurred two minor wounds, physical ones at least. The first was but a small scratch on her cheek. It had healed rather quickly, especially with the help of Kristoff's salve. The scratch no longer stung so she'd ignored it's existence. It was now a soft pink color, probably easily blending in with the blush of her cheeks. It had become nothing other than a barely noticeable blemish on her porcelain skin, at least to her. Her second injury, on the other hand, was still somewhat of an inconvenience. She no longer wore a sling to support her arm, but it still wasn't fully healed either. "My wounds? Well, as you can see, I'm at least able to move my arm now," she answered as she demonstrated some motion as she positioned herself to ice his wounds. "Though I must admit my arm is still a bit sore and I've got to be careful when lifting my arm too high or too fast, but other than that I think it's been healing up fine," Elsa reassured him with a smile. Elsa focused and started using her magic. "There's still no word from the Isles as of yet, but hopefully we'll receive correspondence soon."  
  
  


"It can be a long boat ride. It's been, what, a few days? It will likely be a few more before it arrives. Or, I've forgotten time again. Perhaps they're taking their time to handle Weselton themselves, or trying to decide what to do about me being here. I'm sure they expected me to return-- and rather hoped I didn't. I'm not sure they truly understand how forgiving Arendelle can be. For the better, perhaps. War is not like my brother, but 'polite acquisition of power' is a strength of ours. Gerard is good with words, Felix is a true scholar with letters, between the two they could peacefully negotiate the tea from China, if they decided to." Perhaps a slight exaggeration, but it was nice to know Hans had a few positive things to say of his family. He sighed and took the time to appreciate the chill on his wounds. He always tensed just a little before relaxing, when she iced them. The cold stung or twinged at first, until he could relax into it. "They're good men, those two. Gerard was always harder to get to know, but I know he's a good man. He was there at my darkest hour, in spite of his busy schedule. That always surprised me, that I made notice. Felix seems quite boring by comparison, but I think he just has a niche sense of humor. Things he jokes about are funny to him because his humor has depth. He was never especially good with people, like Gerard, but we joke that he knows the text of any book that manages to find its way into the castle, without needing to read it. I know it was a joke, but I always felt it was a good enough reason to burn my pages." It wasn't often Hans spoke of his brothers, least of all with anything positive to say, but it was true that he did have a few good memories of the isles-- or at least knew a few good things about a few brothers.  
  
  


Elsa was caught by surprise, Hans rarely spoke of his brothers much less spoke well of them or brought them up by name. Gerard must have been the person who saved him, from the darkness they had talked about back when she had broken down in front of him. It was nice to hear he had some respectable brothers among the dozen. 

"Which brothers are those exactly?" Elsa was embarrassed to even ask, her cheeks reddening even more than before. Up until now Elsa had been visualizing his brothers as a homogeneous cluster of men. "I'm sorry for asking, this is the first time you mention them by name and frankly there are too many Princes of the Southern Isles to keep track of, especially when I can't match a face to a name." Or in this case a name to a number since she wouldn't exactly be able to see them. It was even more confusing since all of them were his older brothers.  
  
  


Hans chuckled. "No matter, we sometimes call each-other by number, and it gets more confusing when one includes the twins and the other two brothers who may as _well_ be twins. Gerard is the eldest, Felix the second. Gerard is best described as 'a red-haired King Arthur in training', down to his knight's sword. Felix is visually distinctive by his glasses and his slightly darker red hair. Genuinely, it's a few shades' difference and truly the only one with a different hair color, the lucky duck." He laughed dryly. "Would you like to know more of my brothers? I speak poorly of my family, but in truth, I do like a few of them, and others are only sometimes a problem. A few are genuine blackguards, admittedly." He shrugged one shoulder, looking only passing interest in that fact.

"Most of us play instruments, all carry some kind of weapon unique to them, and of course we all have our unique personality traits. We all carry numbers and most carry signet rings. Mine is probably stricken and put in a safe somewhere, if it hasn't been melted down. Some of us didn't stay in the line of ascension, for various criminal reasons. I suppose I can count myself among them now." He was prince _in name only._ A name worth only open visitation to his home castle, a place he never wanted to be in the first place. "I suppose if you ever wanted to really mess with the Isles, I could help you marry into it. Or Anna. I certainly know which brothers might be worth the effort." He laughed dryly, almost bitterly at the thought. "I wouldn't want to sentence you to my mother as an in-law, though. I can think of a few worse fates."   
  
  


She knew the part about helping her or Anna marry into the Isles was a joking remark, but it still made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She furrowed her brows a bit. Hans really seemed to have some deeply rooted resentment towards his mother.

"I feel a little bad asking the Isles for aid, yet I know little to nothing about them myself. I think I would like to at least try learning all your brothers' names, if you don't mind sharing."  
  
  


Hans nodded, and grinned in amusement, clearly up to some mischief. "Gerard, Felix, Gregory, Lars and Georg, Judas, Hammund, Sigir and Petrus, Simon, Bernhard, Eduard, and Hans. And if you can recite them all back to me I will be _highly_ impressed." He spoke quickly enough, giving her a playful grin as if amused by the fact that his whole family was a _struggle._ "I said them in order, of course, though if you confuse the twins or the should-be-twins, it wouldn't be too great a surprise or loss, they are used to it."   
  
"I'll give you a hint, there's three G names."   
  
  


"Wait, what? I didn't think I had to memorize them all so quickly, and in order. You could at least have given me time to come up with a mnemonic." Elsa groaned. "I don't think I'll be able to get them all, but I'll try my best," she nodded. 

"Okay, so there's Gerard and Felix --you just talked about them so that was easy-- followed by Gregory or was it Georg --I can't remember-- then there was Lars --I believe-- Georg or Gregory -- and then I got really lost in the middle-- Uh... Jørgen? --no, that doesn't sound right at all-- and Harold? --that doesn't sound right either-- Sigurd and Peder? --yeah, I don't know about those-- and then there was a Simon --just like the name of the mirror prince-- Uh, then there's Bernard and Edward --I'm more certain about those two-- Okay that was twelve," Elsa had been counting with her fingers. "And that just leaves you, Hans, last but certainly not least." 

"So how badly did I butcher it?" Elsa curiously asked. " I know I at least named thirteen, unless I forgot one or accidentally added a fourteenth prince."  
  
  


Hans laughed a little at her attempts. "Sorry, your Majesty, but we do like to tease people with it." He admitted playfully. 

"You did quite well, actually! A few in the middle were wrong, that's usually the way of it, though usually people remember a name like Judas." He smiled a bit. "The first is Gerard, a red-haired King Arthur type down to his knightly sword. A good sense of humor and the gold standard of sons, polite and good-natured and honorable and all those things, the spitting image of our father in his youth, but for father's facial hair."

"Felix, the second, is prim and proper, cold and analytical, knows every book in the Isles, seemingly. He does have his dry sense of humor and odd interests. I'm led to believe he can warm up to people, I don't know that I've seen it. You'll rarely find Gerard without him, but Felix does venture on his own in the castle sometimes. If Gerard is the face of the Isles, Felix is the brains, without him nothing would get done. His hair is darker, and he prefers a rapier."

"Gregory is a musician, married to a singer named Katharina. Both of them the kindest people one could meet. In a way, they both look strikingly like our parents, father's illness is in Gregory as well, and Katharina has mother's dark hair. But Katharina is more kind than mother ever could have been, and all the more beautiful for it, and Gregory never had to worry about being a king, and so devoted his life to his passions, and is happy. He's a bit bewildered at times for his medications. Opiates, unfortunately. I refuse to take them for pain, I've seen what they do to people, thankfully not in our family." Hans paused and grimaced a little, rubbing his pained wound slightly, pressing the ice closer. "Gregory carries a small dagger rather than a sword, and it was Katharina's 'welcome to the family' gift from Mother. She would have nothing to do with it, so he keeps it instead."   
  


“Lars and Georg are the twins, youthful hunters determined to catch whatever great new beast and have adventures, as if we're still medieval. Hunters, not above hunting a red-haired fox like me now and then. I've learned a few tricks to avoid them. They're ostensibly identical, but they strive to at least look different. Lars prefers cool colors, Georg prefers warm, Lars keeps his hair longer, Georg cropped shorter. Lars is a hair leaner, Georg a bit softer. They prefer crossbows to blades, but do have preferences there that I forget." 

"Judas is a church man, we think it has to do with his name. You could tell mother was getting tired of having children by then. He's serious, grim, a bit fire-and-brimstone for a Lutheran. I'm told his flock likes him, but I haven't been to church in years on the chance I'd run into him. Lean, tall, and a constant look as if you've told an inappropriate joke during Sunday school. Short hair, no weapon as a man of the cloth." 

"Hammund is your stereotype of a working man. The Isles' official Master of the Horse, both tall and broad, soft and strong. He could lift a foal easily enough. Prefers a Zweihander. He's a boisterous man, with a loud laugh and a love of drinking and tavern songs. Supposedly has a history of getting handsy with barmaids, but we're fairly sure he'd have been poisoned by now if he'd done anything serious. He can get rough with brothers at times, but he also knows there's a line, even if it's a little further away than we'd often like. He's not one to kick while you're down."   
  


"Then there's the disappointments, Sigir and Petrus. Both thieves, I think they go by 'sideburns' and 'patches', or something ridiculous like that, now. Arrested in a foreign kingdom for theft and some other things. Disowned, and thank god for that. Petrus broke my arm once to make me give into something, I forget what. It was the first real test of how well I could hide pain. They were suitably impressed by that. They aren't twins, but ought to have been." He slipped in that dark detail without flinching. If anything, he still seemed proud of it. 

"Simon is the flirt, the kind one hears stories of, which is why I borrowed his name for my little story. All flirtations with women and drinks with men to talk about his women. Every woman, a conquest and every story full of nonsense. He's probably been run out of every tavern and woman's home at least once for some reason or other, but is charming enough and powerful enough to get forgiven. Worse, he's a terrible poet. Prefers a fencing foil, and not near as good with it as he says. Assume everything he says is a gross exaggeration, or a disguised insinuation."   
  


"There's Bernhard, the sweet innocent one. He's a big man, soft in muscle and in heart. He likes to bake and spends all day at it. He's also Deaf. Felix invented a sign language to communicate with him, and all us brothers have used it since then fluently." Hans did a quick and deliberate series of hand signs as if to demonstrate, though faltered when he moved too quick and made something twinge in his wound. He didn't try that again. "We don't think our parents learned. Father tried but was always ill, mother never made time, so we signed behind her back. Just as well, it's better he does not know what she picks at him about, like a carrion bird. He just wants to bake in peace. Even Sigir and Petrus wouldn't give him problems. He's quite bright, but often gets left out of things like marriage proposal discussions. None of us like it, but who would take the time to learn his language? Our language? The castle halls echo horribly. Signing is sometimes the only way to ensure a secret stays a secret between two people." 

"Then there's the other disappointment, Eduard. I love him dearly, as a brother. Long straight hair he takes care of, feminine good looks, always wry and playful banter, but he has a genuine care and sincerity for others. He gossips to get to know people and get in their good graces, and he knows every undesirable in the Isles; every person you don't want to know, but should. He's a 'disappointment' ostensibly because he joined the Thieves guild, truthfully because he prefers the company of other men, and that's _technically_ punishable by hanging, still. Not for lack of trying to decriminalize it, but that's not likely to pass in the next few years. We, like most cases, quietly slide it under the rug. He's not a bad person, I don't care if Jesus himself comes down off the cross to tell me otherwise. He prefers a whip, but used to carry a rapier before an arranged marriage fell through. On her end, surprisingly, his spirits only improved from there." Hans was, at least, protective of a few brothers. "He and Judas haven't spoken in years, though the church is an easy walk and they are often both at the same family gatherings." 

"Then the last disappointment, me. If I were to describe myself as I am in the Isles, I would say I am depressingly grim, dry and dark-humored, quiet to the point of nonexistent whilst at home, unless being observed. I would sooner not move for hours than be observed and commented on for doing something even bland and benign. My life is the sea and I'm best left there." What a far cry from the Hans she knew. Grim and dry, perhaps, but as his primary features? And _quiet?_ "And that makes the thirteen of us. Now you know all you need to know of the brothers to tell us apart."

Elsa tried to make mental notes to remember them all by, Hans' descriptions helped. Gerard: Crowned Prince Arthur, Felix: Books and Brains, Gregory: Musician, Lars and Georg: Hunter Twins; Lars: Cool & Long, Georg: Warm & Short; Judas: Church, Hammund: Horses, Sigir and Petrus: 'Sideburns' & 'Patches', Simon: Flirt, Bernard: Baker, Eduard: Sweetheart, and...Hans: The Man of the Sea. Hans' description of himself had saddened her for multiple reasons. 

"Okay let me try again," Elsa declared. "Gerard, Felix, Gregory, Lars & Georg, Judas, Hammund, Sigir & Petrus, Simon, Bernhard, Eduard and _you, Hans_."

Elsa looked at Hans intently for a moment, thinking over the things he said about himself, among other things. "I have a curious question for you," Elsa started after a pause. "Why come back to Arendelle and surrender?" she wondered. "...not that I don't want you around, you've been a great help to me and my kingdom," Elsa added frantically, waving her hands slightly, so he wouldn't think she hated having him there. "It's just... that your man of the sea and even if you were stripped of your title... you could have easily hopped on to a boat, like the one that brought you here, and instead sailed far away from here and started your life anew. I'm just curious," she said softly. She knew how much he loved the sea, he really felt he belonged there, and he could have had the chance to be happy, or at least free, outside these castle walls.  
  
  
  
"Good, nicely done! I'm suitably impressed by your memory." He assured her with an impressed smile and nod. He thought about the question, leaning back somewhat. "I'd like to believe redemption is possible. I never wanted to do all that I did, and contrary to popular belief, I can feel guilt. I _do,_ constantly. I wanted to, if not fix things, at least explain myself. And maybe a part of me hoped you'd have me killed or I'd live in a dungeon to the end of my days, and feel justice was done. If I was on a boat, then what, piracy? More crimes? Or would I be a nameless shipman with no adventure or exploration, to earn my way to the top again or forever stack boxes and scrub decks for god knows who? Mocked for being the failure prince? I'd sooner live the drama than try to avoid it and let it find me unprepared. The difference between wading into battle with a sword drawn, and being stabbed in the back with it. I'm not inclined to face away from danger." So he considered his reputation a danger? He seemed lost in his own metaphors, and not willing to find his way back out. "I'm also not inclined to make the things I've broken worse. I'm already another of the disappointments, my next option would be piracy, but if my 'in name' title is revoked, I wouldn't be able to visit the Isles when my father or Gregory passes, nor would they be likely to find me in time." He wouldn't risk that much. He wanted to be able to visit home, but still have adventure, if he was to live. What better adventure than a fruitless quest for redemption? 

"I suppose in ways I've done a much better job of fixing things than I ever expected. Perhaps I should be thanking the Duke of Weselton for giving me the opportunity to prove my loyalties."  
  
  
His reasoning made sense. What good would running away do anyway? When it only seemed to create more problems rather than solve them, she knew that first hand. Elsa had only asked because it was the first thing that would have crossed her mind, but Hans did seem to handle his conflicts differently, he had more of a head-on approach, (he was not even afraid to face death itself), while Elsa tried to avoid conflict like the plague if possible. It might have seemed like the easier path to take, yet he really didn't want to lead a life of crime either, he didn't want his previous bad deeds to define him. She could understand why a guilty conscience could not let him move on with his life, someone with a conscience can never truly be free living with regret or the constant fear of your past coming back to bite you. Even if Hans did not like living in the Isles, he still cared for his family, even if it was only a fraction of it. 

"I see," Elsa nodded as he finished explaining. "Well, I'm glad you chose the route of redemption, even if I had my doubts in the beginning, I don't regret deciding to let you stay in Arendelle." She said sincerely. "I hope you don't regret it either despite all the additional pain it has caused you." Elsa was not just talking about physical injuries. Elsa wanted to reassure him that his efforts weren't useless, that he was doing the right thing even if Anna didn't believe it, just yet or even ever, at least _she_ did, and he shouldn't give up hope. She told him all this as one of her hands found its way atop his, for extra reaffirmation.   
  
  


Hans listened, and seemed thoughtful. He still seemed to doubt himself, if not her. He seemed surprised by her touch, as if they hadn't held hands before. He didn't withdraw, at least not immediately, but he did look away, shamed by his own past, though he was still trying so hard to move against it.

"I'm glad at least that you appreciate my efforts." He seemed to have other thoughts, ones he didn't think to share immediately, as he considered things. "You know me. Pain will never stop me from doing what must be done." 

He thought about it a moment, then remembered. "Ah, one more thing. Yesterday, I was asked to teach you how to use a sword. I must agree that it seems like a wise decision. You fear hurting someone with your ice powers because you think they mark you as a sorceress. Learn to use a sword instead, then, but do not be afraid to hurt those who would hurt you, or your reign will be a short one. I can teach you, when my own wound has healed. I'll train the guards in the morning, and you in the afternoon, if you'll acquiesce. It will be a dedicated workout indeed, for both of us, but it will keep me busy, you active, and ease the fears of the guard staff knowing that you can protect yourself." He spoke almost as if it wasn't optional for her, in spite of her being the Queen. The words to suggest that it was were there, but his tone said _'learn or you will wish you had'._ Not as a threat, but as a prediction. 

Elsa's face contorted and she shifted herself back a bit. She opened her mouth with a gasp of air as if to speak, but closed it again. Her brows were knitted and her lips pursed into a tight line. She remained silent taking a moment to process his words. After a pensive pause she opened her mouth to speak, letting out a deep sigh. "You know...I don't fear using my powers because people will brand me as a sorceress, say what they will of me, I couldn't care less what people think of me or my magic, at least not anymore. I refrain myself from using my powers against people because _I know_ what they are capable of _doing_ . And yes, I don't wish to ever take anyone's life, especially if it's at all avoidable, even if they wish to take mine." Hans himself was proof of that. All life was precious to her, that's one of the reasons why she couldn't bring herself to get rid of Olaf, Marshmallow or any of her other living creations. "What I'm actually afraid of is accidentally hurting someone I didn't mean to in the crossfire. _I fear the frozen heart_ ." She looked down at her hands. "After I almost lost Anna because of it, I can't run the risk of inflicting that fate onto anyone else, _ever_ . The only way to thaw a frozen heart is an act of _true love_ , and that's not easy to acquire." She might have gone off on a bit of a tangent focusing on the wrong thing.   
  


She sighed once again. "Even if I'm reluctant to use my powers to defend myself, I understand that it's wise to find another way to defend myself. I am the Queen of Arendelle, my safety is important, and though I do not wish to harm anybody, learning to use a sword might be the best alternative to protect myself without relying entirely on my magic," she considered with a deep breath. "I'll acquiesce...but only if you promise to teach me every non-lethal you can think of disarming an opponent, if I'm able to find a nonfatal way to incapacitate my opponent first, I'll do it, baneful force is a last resort." If Elsa had the option to do things in an innocuous manner she would do it in a heartbeat.  
  
  


Hans seemed uncertain, considering it a moment. "A difficult question, you've posed. I myself have only directly killed with a blade a few men, some by legal execution for the safety of citizenry, and perhaps a few in that battle, though I never stopped to check. That's it. The problem is, it's not the lashes that nearly killed me, it was the loss of blood, and the infections that came after. A man can die of a paper cut if it's poorly-tended, and will you let it rest on your soul if it's your sword that caused the cut that infected him? The fact of the matter is, when a man wants you to die, your best option is to make sure he never has the chance to act on that twice." He paused, recognizing that that very much included him. "I _stand by_ what I said." He added, with a little acknowledging head tilt. "That doesn't _always_ mean killing them, of course. Without my sword I was thoroughly defeated at the Fjord, and that's the best way to handle these things. But sometimes deaths can happen whether you want them to or not. Come to grips with it early, and hope it never happens to you, but I can't promise that you won't be responsible for a death at some point. I can promise that if you follow my lead and learn what I teach well, then you'll be less likely to. But I'm going to teach you the fatal things _first._ You need to know how to not die, before you worry about the person trying to kill you." Hans could be stubborn in his own way. He needed her to recognize the truth of the matter: Swords were killing weapons. "I won't _make_ you kill anything, though. I'm a bastard, perhaps, but not quite that bad."   
  
  


Elsa groaned, clearly conflicted. "Fine," Elsa acquiesced. She was quite stubborn herself, it wouldn't be easy to change her mind, but didn't wish to argue. "I'll follow your lead." She was thankful he wasn't going to force her to kill something, to prove his point.  
  
  


Hans tilted his head a bit and thought. "In truth, if you can learn to take the heat of battle in stride, you won't need much swordplay to win. All you have to do is freeze their metal blade and hit it hard enough. That's what happened to mine, I think. A significant temperature change can change the blade, and ice will make it brittle. An opponent with no sword, can't stab you with it." He proposed. "We'll see what it looks like when we get there. I was thinking of starting you with a naval saber, but do feel free to try out a few swords in your hand, see which ones feel right to swing, perhaps ask one of the guards who knows a thing or two about swords to teach you how to hold it just to know the right weight and size. We'll work on proper grips after." He was glad she agreed to try. He would do what he could to teach her-- once he could even hold his own sword, again.  
  
  


Elsa liked that idea. She just needed to learn how to handle herself well in battle. Turning Hans' teachings into knowledge in her arsenal, so swordplay could just be techniques at her disposal to help her deflect attacks. She just needed to manage to learn how to effectively evade attacks with the help of her powers. She might be opposed to using her powers against people directly, but if she could somehow be able to use them against their weapons she had absolutely no problem with that. Where there's a will there's a way and Elsa would do everything in her power to find a benign way to deal with her enemies, if at all possible, even if she was fully capable of using fatal force, as well. Elsa nodded. "I'll see what I can do." She glanced over at his food tray. "I think it might be best if I leave you to your breakfast sooner rather than later, you know, before it completely freezes over and you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it."  
  


Hans chuckled and nodded. "As you wish, your Majesty. I look forward to speaking to the Captain of the Guard later, if I can. Hopefully he'll visit before lunch, lest that meal be delayed too." It was a joke, of course. Hans would eat when Elsa left, as he promised.


	17. Never Again

Hans knew it was ill-advised-- because everyone told him so. Still, he was a determined man, and doubly determined to make sure that he made himself useful. So after a few weeks and Hans could pick up his sword from the bureau, he had someone fetch him a cane, and walked out of his room escorted by Captain Kristofferson, to meet the guards they had wrangled up. 

"Gentlemen," He announced, as he arrived, setting down a stack of papers he had brought with him. "I am Hans, and I have had many titles. Prince of the Southern Isles, Admiral of the same, treasonist, prisoner, fool, and advisor; I'm sure I'm missing a few. To you I am 'trainer' or 'teacher'. I'm here to ensure that people like  _ me _ can't get past people like  _ you _ again, so we don't have another raid like what happened a few weeks past. When I'm back in form after having been stabbed in the recent raid, I'll teach you all how to run to catch those who would flee, to fight those who would attack, and to stamp out any cowardice or fear of pain you have. At the end of training we will all have bruises, we will all want a heavy drink, and some of you may  _ hate _ me, but you'll be a good set of guards in the end." 

" _ Some _ of you were thwarted by a snow-child specifically meant to be kept out of a room you were guarding, and  _ others _ had no problem letting a prince from another country casually take control of a kingdom. I had better not see  _ abject failure to perform your duties _ like  _ that _ again. That you now have a  _ treasoner _ standing before you telling you how to do your  _ damned _ jobs is a  _ disgrace, _ and you need to be aware of that." He paused, looking over the guard staff, standing tall and speaking with the authority of the Commander of the Navy that he had once been. 

"So, it's a very good thing that we're wiping that slate clean." He gestured to brush his hands off, leaning on his cane as he did. "From here on out, your motto is 'never again and never before'. You will never let that happen again, and it never happened. When you get hit in sparring, it has never happened before and it will never happen again. When you fail to complete physical training, it has never happened before and it will never happen again. When you fail, it will be a unique experience and you will learn from it or by god I will  _ make _ you learn from it. You are here to guard the Queen of Arendelle, not to protect a sweet-shop in the market square from children. If you don't have an excuse from the doctor, you will train daily. If you aren't mourning a family loss or having a baby, you will be at work, and if you make a mistake you will own up to it and you will deal with the consequences like a man, and carry on with life as normal. And if we're all good at what we do, and we're all alive and well, we might even have a bit of fun with it. I've never been a man of the lash, I've always been more for drinking with the men, but I will bring it back if I have to. Now, everyone, pick up a paper and a pencil. I need to know where you're all at. I'll never have anyone do anything I wouldn't do, once my wound is fully healed I'll train right alongside the rest of you, and I'll challenge you to best me at every step. For now, let's get to know you and your experience." Hans was, and it was easy to forget, a military man. He knew how to command men and how to motivate them, both positively and negatively. 

The papers asked a number of questions. Name, Age, rank, years of experience; but it also included questions about travel, how many languages one spoke, personal hobbies; strengths and weaknesses, that sort of thing. Some things were intellectual questions about math or logic, some were morality questions. It was a strange hodgepodge of all sorts of questions, almost at random.   
  
~~*~~   
  


The majority guard consisted of men from their late teens/early twenties to mid-forties. There were a few outliers of course, but it's seemed like an accurate representation. The age differences seemed to split the men into two categories: the seasoned members that had been serving since before the Coronation and the new recruits who started serving after, many of them joining recently after the raid. So there were a lot of old dogs and new blood in the mix. There had been some murmurs among the men. Mostly among the new cadets, as well as some of the stubborn old men. A lot of them had been taken aback, when they found out the infamous  **Hans of the Southern Isles** would be their training teacher. The newest recruits had only heard rumors of the Prince's return to Arendelle, they had not witnessed him taking charge during the raid nor understood why he was no longer a prisoner. Even if they were supposedly wiping the slate clean and having a fresh start, there was still some notable doubt among them, yet none of them spoke up to voice their concerns. They did as they were told and picked up a paper and pencil, at least they were good at following orders.    
  


Hans adjusted himself to sit on the desk a while, to give them all time to work. 

"When you're done, turn in your papers up front. If for whatever reason you can't complete a question, come to me and ask. I'm a bit of a bastard, yes, but I'll never tease you for an affliction like not knowing a word or not knowing how to read entirely. Indeed, if any of you know anyone who can't hear and needs a job, bring them here. Deaf people are oft good guards, and unfortunately overlooked. Hell, a few particularly ambitious women wouldn't hurt the guard staff either. We're a bit short staffed, by the look of things." He looked among the room. It was packed tight, but the room was already fairly small for the kingdom's guard staff. "Perhaps things are done differently in the Isles, but I don't understand how a kingdom can exist so readily with so few guards. I suppose I should be glad we lasted as long as we did, during the raid. It isn't the fault of any one man, nor even the group of you, I suppose. I cannot fault a fisherman for not catching fish, if none taught him how. At any rate, this is not a graded test." 

He waited patiently until the tests were turned in, then stood up again. He moved more slowly, but hid how much pain he was in. "I'll look at these tests a bit later. If you have concerns, feel free to bring them to me privately, I'm sure you know where I'm staying." He offered, leaning heavily on his cane. "Now that that's done, let's clear the air a bit. You all have questions, I can see. I have answers, and I'm not opposed to giving them. Go ahead and ask, I can't do much physical training with you yet, after my own injuries, but I can train your minds, and I've precious little else to do while I'm healing. So, give me your best shot. Ask your questions, 'what did this son of a bitch do to deserve this job'?" He was still a sailor, and there were no royals around. He could curse if he damned well pleased. He waited to see who had questions to ask.   
  
  


It was rather quiet, with only a few hushed voices murmuring among each other. It seemed no one would be brave enough to question Hans, then all of a sudden the silence was broken. 

"What did you do?" one of the new recruits boldly asked. Surprised, everyone turned to look at the young man. "'Cause last most of us have heard, you were the traitor of Arendelle, tryin' to take over the throne." There were gasps at the cadet's audacity to ask. Even with all the eyes on him the boy stood tall and not sheepish about what he'd just asked. Hans had offered after all, everyone was thinking it, so why not dare to ask to get the answers they wanted?   
  


Hans chuckled a little. "Brave boy, I'll teach you how to lead. It takes guts to ask those questions before others, guts that leaders need and followers need to learn to use." He observed. "I was the traitor, yes. I had my reasons, reasons I'm sure I'll tell you all about at some point, but rest assured they weren't very good. I came back to tell my side of the story and make amends. For more reasons, I was in the castle at the time of the raid. Because the castle rooms aren't built as a prison cell, the doors were left unlocked and guards left, under the assumption that they would be able to stop me if I tried to leave. I won't postulate about whether or not that's a correct assumption, but I never tried the door until I heard the sound change in the hall, and the guards understandably gone. Then I went searching for a sword, to help fend off the attackers. By the time I got to the Queen's side, even Captain Kristofferson was down, so the Queen and I held off much of the attack until Anna's boyfriend - _ Lord _ Kristoff, I believe?- came in with bow and arrows. The fight wasn't fun, but we managed against nigh impossible odds. I got stabbed in the process and caught a pommel to the face, the Queen got a slight scratch to her face and an injured arm." He explained. "As it turns out, the pommel truly is the way to 'end them rightly'." That was a very niche and obscure joke he didn't expect a single one of them to understand. As if to illustrate his point regarding wounds, he raised the hem of his shirt so they could see the unpleasant wound to his side, stitches gone, but the wound still red and warped. "It's not my first, nor my last scar, in battle or otherwise, and I was already healing from the lashes one gets for being a traitor in the navy, if you'd like to see those scars, too." He gestured to his back, but didn't show them immediately. He looked more amused than bothered. "Does that answer your question? I'm afraid I do love to ramble, feel free to ask more."   
  
  


"Yes, sir." The young man answered with a nod. There was a brief silence yet again. 

"Question," someone else spoke up. This time it was one of the older men. "About the paper we just filled out. The questions made sense, for the most part, but some of them seemed rather arbitrary, for example asking about our personal hobbies. I don't understand how exactly knowing that information has anything to do with training?"   
  
  


Hans smiled a bit and shrugged. "Whom do you send to learn tactics for battle-- the man who prefers swordplay, or the man who prefers games of skill? The answer is games, for tactics are just strategy games with a risk. Who do you send to battle, the gambler or the logician? The gambler, because he understands chance. Westergaard ways are old ways, I prepare for sieges and swordplay, as well as modern diplomacy. Does anyone know why Deaf guards are so very useful?" He asked, and glanced between them, to see if there would be answers. "A Deaf man on a ship cannot be fazed by cannon fire around him, a Deaf guard in a castle chamber cannot spill secrets. Every man has his use and every hobby has its useful applications, if only we can find them. We in Arendelle have the unique experience of living in an era under which ice is our greatest tactical advantage, so if any of you happen to enjoy ice-skating-- you'll be the finest swordsmen we'll have by the time I'm through with you. If you have good aim, archers. If you favor brute strength, zweihanders and door-breakers, if you prefer to run, we'll have ammunition runners and recovery men. Everyone will have their uses and be able to be dispatched at notice. I will get to know your names and your stories over time, as will Captain Kristofferson, so we will know where to send you at a moment's notice when you're needed. We'll see who's the best not by bragging, but by practice, and everyone here will be the best in the squad at  _ something _ ." He paused, and rolled his neck, to pop it and let the silence hang a moment. "Every man has his use. Does anyone know why a cat is a necessary crewman at sea?" He waited patiently, to see if anyone would answer.   
  
  


"Vermin," answered one of the men.    
  
"To keep rats from eating everything," added another.    
  
"They've got nine lives," one remarked more humorously.   
  
  


Hans laughed. "Yes I am, but what about the cat?" He joked dryly. "For the mice, precisely, but their luck doesn't hurt either! If the ships had mice, the mice would eat the food, and the men would have no food to eat. Thus, we would have a dead crew and a dead ship, all for the lack of one hungry cat. Who among you will be our hungry cat? Someone will be the lynchpin of success, and it could be for any reason, in any event. Who will be Fletcher, the young man in the crow's nest who could point out pirates in a fog too thick to see the fore from the aft? Who will be the cannoneer Grym, with perfect aim? There is a niche for each of you to fill, in order to make a perfect crew, and without the right ones, we may fall. So, I will find you your niche, if you don't find it for yourself." He assured, already getting excited about the prospect. "And as soon as this damned wound heals, we are going to have ourselves a hunt." He rubbed his hands together, already excited at the prospect. "For now... who wants to try some sword fighting? I'm reasonably confident I can take any one of you injured, and I'd like to see you bastards prove me wrong." He grinned playfully, clearly just trying to get them in the spirit of the game, and get them geared up to beat him at sword fighting.   
  
  


The men's laughter rumbled throughout the room. Hans had managed to boost the troops' morale to start their training and him opening up for questions had seemed to ease some of their doubts. 

"I'd gladly oblige to your challenge Westergaard, just to try to prove you wrong, I like seemingly impossible odds. Though it's  _ highly likely _ you're still able to kick my hind, even in your current condition, I don't think the Queen would be to thrilled if she found out I returned you more scratched up than you are now, that is if I managed to surprise even myself by beating you," chuckled Captain Kristofferson. "I'll also take you up on your offer, for real, once you're in peak condition, even if that means the odds are against me. It'll hurt my pride to lose, even if it's just in practice and 'it never happened', but if it helps me improve myself in any way to better protect Arendelle I'll do it in a heartbeat. I hope you're all committed to do the same." He declared, taking the lead trying to set the example to his men as is to be expected of a Captain.   
  
  


Hans rubbed his hands together. "Excellent, let's show the men a good sporting game, shall we? Out to the yards then, tell me you've got some good practice swords? I expect to have to order you all a whole new armory, but practice swords should absolutely be standard. I don't know whether I'll be more disappointed if they're falling to pieces, or if they're new." He warned. He still leaned on his cane somewhat as he moved. "Luckily my injury  _ isn't _ on my sword-arm side. You might stand a chance if I had to operate left-handed." He teased. In spite of the cane, he moved quickly enough. He moved out to the practice yard, and claimed himself a practice sword closer to a navy cutlass than his own bastard sword, with a few practice swings. "This'll do." He then went about checking the space to clear it out, and used the point of it to hack a few rings into the space. 

"Who was present during the raid?" He asked, when he was done, moving himself to the center of the rings he had made. "Who, if any among you, recalls what direction I shouted as I passed by to find the Queen? What advice did I give? And, why am I asking?" He loved to challenge them with questions, in between making them laugh. He was glad to see they had a sense of humor about them. That was more or less how he led ships, too.   
  
  


There were various voices that answered: 

"Press in!"

"Repel them back!"

"Hold the line!"

As Hans was having a teaching moment, the Captain was choosing his sword, he decided to go with a standard arming sword.   
  
  


Hans clasped his hands over his wooden sword-hilt and looked so proud. 

"My god, you actually listened." He seemed genuinely touched at the idea. He took a moment, then cleared his throat a little. "Now, today we're going to see what I mean by that. We can all see where I'm starting, yes? Bulls-eye." He gestured down, standing in the middle of the field. 

"Captain, drive me as far from this point as you can, and I'll try to defend without moving from the bulls-eye. Then we'll switch, and see who can press the other back furthest. You know the rules, only thieves try to hit family jewels, ey? And I'd like my head as un-cracked as possible while I'm still recovering from my two recent near-death experiences. Otherwise, do your damnedest, or I'll never stop giving you shit about it." He flourished with his wooden blade a little, and readied himself. The Hans who trained men was certainly a different man from the Prince Hans who was all 'Your Majesty's and 'Good Sir's. He suspected this Hans was the one the men would learn from best.   
  
  


"I won't go easy on you just because your wounded Westergaard, I know you won't hold back either, and I'm quite aware I'll never hear the end of it if I don't give it my all," affirmed the Captain with a nod, holding his sword with both hands in the ready position. Once he saw Hans was ready he charged him with all his might.   
  
  


"Good, because you'll never hear the end of it when you lose to a wounded man, either." Hans teased. He proved to be an agile fighter, in spite of his cane, which he seemed to have forgotten about, fallen to the ground. He defended and parried skillfully, using short thrusts and sharp raps about the shins to force the Captain to back up as best he could, stepping to one side or ducking or even turning -into- attacks to avoid being forced back. He didn't hit hard, because that wasn't the purpose; nor did he aim to disarm, because that would've gone against the point. He simply aimed to hold his ground. While injured, of course, this was no easy task. Being limited to a circle was a difficult business, and this was certainly the challenged position to begin in. He was forced back once or twice by attacks to his weak side, which he was forced to defend more carefully against, but he regained his position by stepping in close and aiming for weak parts of the abdomen, or careful strikes near the neck. He said he wouldn't attack the head, but he'd never said anything about the throat. He was all business during the fight, perhaps entirely because he had to be, as he was recovering. He kept his free hand over his wound, to protect it from getting any worse, but he never flinched from a blow, even if it did make one of his many injuries hurt.

"I think we've quite made our point, Captain? We never did specify an endgame, my fool mistake, but if I reopen any of my wounds, my doctor may simply stitch me up with a burlap like a sack-doll, so I ought to be careful." He chuckled a little, clearly wearing a little, himself. He would be the first to admit that he wasn't in full form, and he doubted the Captain was, either. They had proved the point, that was the necessity. The battle was short, but illustrative. "Shall we switch?"   
  


" Of course," agreed the Captain. "Wouldn't want to get an earful from the doctor and much less displease her Majesty by being the one responsible in completing your transformation from man to hessian." They switched places, and the Captain was trying to prepare himself for Hans swordsmanship as the one charging, he knew the younger man was far more experienced in swordplay than he and the only he could really do was try to stand his ground as best he could for as long as he could manage.

"I'm tempted to say you think  _ far _ too much of her Majesty's opinion of me." Hans pointed out. The first time he said it, it was an amusing aside. Now he was beginning to wonder what exactly their reputation in the castle was. "You're not  _ implying _ anything, are you? About Her Majesty or I?" He seemed genuinely thrown by that idea. It took him a moment to think about that, before he began his assault. He started easy, throwing a few attacks, defending a few others. Then as he got back into the rhythm, he took his own message--  _ Press in. _ He stepped into the Captain's personal space, ignoring the lines, shoving the other's sword away to get as close as humanly possible. He was also not above throwing in an elbow or a knee. Swordsmanship was one thing, but in close combat, a dagger was more useful, and an elbow would do in the meanwhile. Again, he didn't do it  _ painfully, _ he was illustrating a point. His goal was not to hurt the Captain, nor to disarm him, but simply to push him out. That was the advice that he gave to the Arendelle guards--  _ push forward. _ _   
_   
  


"Not at all, I'm not  _ implying _ anything," the Captain retorted, stern shake of the head. "Just indicating the Queen's  _ compassion _ , and that it wouldn't look good on my behalf as her Guard's Captain if I mistreat an already injured man." The Captain was just calling it like he saw it, Elsa clearly cared about the Prince's well-being  _ that _ was undeniable, he wasn't insinuating anything about their relationship, he would never presumptuously speak ill of the Queen. 

The Captain had not expected Hans to get up so close and personal in his combat, he was finding it quite difficult to continue to roll with the punches. Hans was good at using him as a dummy to demonstrate the tactic.   
  
  


"Oh good, I might've been a little  _ thrown, _ then." Hans teased gently, sounding much less bothered now. "My brother Eduard was always much better at this tactic," He admitted, even slipping past the Captain, only to turn and hook his throat with an arm. Harmless, no blade contact, but enough to halt the defense. "But he was good at getting into men's personal spaces for much  _ different _ reasons." He let the insinuation be playfully scandalous for the men to ponder over. He twisted to kick the Captain's leg out from under him and bring them both down-- though Hans came down on his knee, and grunted a bit as his wound moved painfully. "Ah, and  _ there's _ where my doctor yells at me." He huffed, cringing at the pain he inflicted upon himself. The landing for the Captain would have been softer, all on the grass, nothing contorted or twisted, just uncomfortable. 

"Alright then, well done, Captain." He stood back up, though struggling a little with his wound, and offered a hand to help the other up just the same. "Now then, lessons: See how far we moved?" He gestured down at the ground. "I gave the Captain no choice but to retreat, by getting into his personal space. It limited _my_ opportunities, but I am familiar with one of my favorite rules of swordplay: Swords alone are for _duels._ _Wars_ are won by teeth and pommels, sand in the eyes and dirty tricks. Use your elbows, use your knees, use your god-given wits before you lose them. Hell, use your head if you fancy it's hard enough. Watch your environment, know your opponent. Are they chatty? Wounded? Favoring their left? Do they excel at power or balance? Lord, I think I'm done with demonstrations for the afternoon." He laughed somewhat painfully and used his sword to pick up his cane, to use that. "Don't let me catch any of you using a sword as a cane either, wood or no. Else I'll teach you what a sword is for the way we do in the _Isles."_ He huffed a little, leaning on it. He really needed to be more cautious.

The Captain took his hand and stood up quickly, not wanting to weigh him down. "We might have been a bit too ambitious. How about we --and I mostly mean you-- don't do anymore physical demonstrations ey, Westergaard? At least until you manage to heal  _ that _ up well enough not to damage it again, lest you wish to keep the injury there indefinitely. I'll handle the physical training myself until you're up to the mark, you shouldn't worry about anything other than writing up guidance or giving out orders before that time comes. Don't worry I'll be as rigorous as you intend to be, can't cut them any slack. Got to give it our all from the set about else they're bound to rout later, once you're finally ready to train them for real. You might be in charge of retraining, but it's still my job to command the troops."

Hans chuckled dryly. "Ah, but it's just not as fun for me." He joked. "A little pain never stopped me from a damn thing, but you are right, her Majesty would be vexed by me hurting myself, so I'd best not do that again for a bit. I wasn't really planning to do that, to be frank I was expecting the written test to take longer." He glanced at the sky to check the time. He didn't exactly have a watch, as a prisoner. "I'm just showing my pains now so you'll keep me honest." Why else would he? Pain was useless to him. "I'll see about writing up some simple physical fitness goals and exercises for you to train them with. I may start borrowing men periodically to speak to them about these tests, get to know a few." He looked over at the men pensively.

"So then, that, my dear boys, is what we call a Pyrrhic victory, something I'm quite prone to. Is a win still a win when you've lost as much as you've gained? That's a philosophical subject for you to decide. For me, as long as whatever I do improves the chances of her Majesty surviving another raid, I'll take my pains and be glad about it. Pain just means I'm still alive enough to suffer it, but maybe that's just a philosophy one gets with twelve older brothers. So, what do we think of me? Hm? Am I good enough to train her Majesty's guards after my wound is properly healed?" He wanted to see, was the murmuring and skepticism still there? Had he won them over? Or were there yet holdouts who hated him? They were the ones he wanted to speak with first and longest.   
  
  


The men all silently looked at once another for a moment. Then some voices started to spark from the crowd.

"Yeah!"

"For Arendelle!"

The voices all got louder and echoed among the men, they all seemed rather animated, cheering and raising their fists in a sign of support, if there were still any embittered people among them they surely didn't seem to stand out anymore.

  
Hans seemed, not just surprised, but genuinely touched. In a way, it was bittersweet. They believed him so readily, they genuinely thought he wanted to help Arendelle. And, he  _ did. _ But god, how did they believe it? What had he done to deserve that same loyalty that he got from his crew. 

He fixed his usual confident look to his face, with a wry smile. "Excellent. Keep that spirit, men. And do come to visit me if you want to talk about anything. God knows I'm bored, healing. I'll take these papers, and leave you to it, returning to my... room?" He looked at the Captain, almost raising an eyebrow. "I'll be perfectly honest... I'm still not used to  _ not _ calling it a cell." Did that say more about him, or what he was used to?

"Anyway, I should be off, before I do some other demonstration and accidentally kill myself." He laughed dryly. In truth, he was leaving so he could get to his room and try not to cry again, this time with, what, relief? It was a good feeling, whatever it was. Bittersweet.


	18. 'Bullshit'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Sorry readers for another month long hiatus. I was busy with Helsa Week and then got a little lazy to edit and now I’ve got so many more chapters to edit. Oof. I hope to get some more chapters edited and post them before I get swept away by Helsa Week 2.0. ))

It was evening by the time, the Captain finally got the chance to go check in with Hans. He wanted to discuss how the first meeting with the guard had gone in private. As well as making sure he hadn't hurt himself too much during their impudent demonstration. He knocked on the door like he usually did, before entering the room. "How ya faring Westergaard?" He questioned. "Hopefully the doc wasn't too angry."   


  
Hans seemed deep in thought, but jarred by the Captain's intrusion, and curious. 

"Hm? Oh no. I didn't mention it to him, the pain went away, and this time there were no stitches to rip open, so I suppose as long as I don't collapse in a heap somewhere in the next day or so, I'll be fine." Hans suggested lightly. "Still, not a  _ wise _ thing I did, but I purport to be many things, wise isn't among them. What brings you here, Captain? I didn't expect to see you again today."

Still, he was using titles. He didn't dress like a prince now any more than he had when he arrived by boat, all cotton shirts and sailor's trousers, looking more like a young pirate than an ex-admiral, let alone a prince. Still, there were untold years of experience in his eyes. Experience with sadness, with death, with anger and fury and complex sinister tidings, but he seemed so baffled by the concept of being  _ liked. _ The cheers of the men still bothered him, somehow. They were good and positive and gave him positive feelings, yes, he was still a human; but he also felt saddened, because he didn't feel he deserved them-- or ever could. Those thoughts, he wouldn't burden the Captain with. Not for the moment, that hadn't been what he asked. He didn't want to make the Captain worry, any more than he wanted Elsa to worry for him. But he also didn't feel the need to disguise his thoughtfulness as playful banter or 'just thinking' or put on a happy face, as he might with Elsa. The Captain was a man, and a workhorse at that. He would surely know these same depths of thought?   
  
  


The Captain slightly tilted his head and cocked his brow, at the distraught glazing over Hans, the Prince's eyes clearly reflecting his self-doubt.

"Thought it went rather well today, but it looks like you use a drink, a heavy one at that," suggested the Captain. "It was your own advice to the men, was it not? And you know what? You should take your own advice too. If you're well enough to fight, I think, you're well enough to drink. Come on Westergaard, I'll treat you to that drink," he urged. " I wish to chat with you as men, it's kinda hard to do that in this stuffy room." The Captain wasn't going to senselessly allow Hans seep into those dark thoughts alone, if he could help it.   
  
  


Hans hummed a bit, tone still light but face unmatching, until he heaved himself up to his feet, as one might on a ship; a lazy but graceful movement, like a cat's casual saunter or a bird of prey's lazy low swoop.

"I'll warn you, Captain. I'm either very grim or very childish, and little in-between. And, I'm not above a challenge." He joked wryly, settling a bit. He took off his sword and set it on the bureau again. "In the Isles there are shelves in the taverns for weapons, but we're a little old-fashioned. I imagine it's not the custom here." He would adapt; weapons while drinking was an awful idea.   
  
  


The Captain smiled a bit, that Hans had accepted his invitation without too much coaxing. 

"Hope, I won't regret the invite later," he chuckled.

He nodded. "Not in Arendelle." 

The Captain escorted Hans over to the town tavern, it was a leisurely walk away. 

"So take your pick Westergaard?" The Captain stated, as they arrived taking a seat. "Curious to know what kind of drink you'll choose."    
  
  


"I'm a man of the sea, what do you think I'd pick?" Hans pointed out wryly. "Rum, of course. The stronger the better. Ale for when you're thirsty, rum for when you  _ have a thirst, _ ey?" Drinks, not women. That had a different prescription. 

"You know, I think you're the only person I know who calls me by my last name alone, not some title. I think I could get used to it." He mused idly, leaning somewhat on his arm in the booth. He still looked terribly casual, it was easy to forget that he was a prince, and indeed easy to forget any rank he'd had. It almost looked more like the Captain was grabbing up a wayward young man from the street to teach him a few life lessons. 

"You remind me a little of Captain Janssen. Only a  _ little, _ of course. He's old enough that he seemed  _ just _ as old when he was snatching me up out of the water by the back of my shirts grumbling about 'neglecting princely duties' I didn't have." He seemed amused by the old memories, but there was still that look of bitter-sweetness about it. "But, I suppose it's just the familiarity. You're not afraid to tell me when I'm being a shit, sometimes we all need someone like that."   
  
  


"Of course, I should have figured," chuckled the Captain. "Is that so? Well, someone's gotta keep you grounded."

"You're first and foremost a  _ man _ it's easy to forget that if you don't have something keeping you in check," he stated, and paused before transitioning. "And on that note, I think you did rather well in keeping the men in line today. It didn't go without a hitch that's for sure, but I think you really got through to them. You got them in a fighting spirit, you sure got a way with people, boy, --and I say that in the best way possible-- that it makes me almost envious. When you speak to them you get really down-to-earth, you weren't on some sort of high horse, you really show them that you're one of them, which is true because you're not just a soldier but a fellow man sworn to protect Arendelle just like them, and that in itself is rather respectable." The Captain was trying his best to get through to Hans, ease those doubts he may have, if he planned on being a good teacher to the guard he had to believe in himself first.   
  
  


"Aye, there's the rub," Hans pointed out, ordering a drink as easily as a native to the country, "I'm not 'sworn' to a damn thing. I protect Arendelle because I have sins to pay for, and I like your country. Were I truly a bastard, I'd use this opportunity. I am, against what your men might think, the  _ same _ man who raised a sword to kill the Queen. I'd be more comforted if your men were still suspicious. This tells me there's much to teach them. I may be truthful this time, yes, but how otherwise is this different from last?" Hans couldn't help but be disquieted at the notion. 

"I've got an idea for training tomorrow. Another kind of test. Nothing physical, I'll sit and clean swords while the men do physical training, and talk. I'd like to test them. And you." He leaned back a bit as his drink was brought, looking bothered still. "It's not that I'm upset to be liked, per se. I'm vexed that it was so easy to get in again, like before. As easy as the first time, like nothing has been learnt." He leaned back, waiting for the Captain to get his drink. 

"Even on a ship, I worked to be an admiral. My name could have gotten me a strong position, but I started scrubbing decks and moved up from there, and hit every position on the way. I may have hit admiral young, but damned if I didn't at least land on every job on the way." He was determined to do that, at least. "Damned if I'll be a useless shit, demanding ranks I never deserved." He scoffed at the thought.   
  
  


The Captain ordered his drink, and it arrived shortly after. "You may not be sworn to Arendelle in the same sense as the rest of us, that's true, but that blade of yours says otherwise," he pointed out, grabbing hold of his drink. 

"I see where you're coming from, the men were very spirited today, that's for certain, but I'm sure there's still lingering doubt among them. Just because the group as a whole looked determined it don't mean all the individuals are fully convinced. Some men aren't as open to expressing their concerns in public. Don't think just because they're willing to give you a chance that it won't be a challenge. They seemed to warm up to you, but trust doesn't come  _ that _ easily, not when  _ everyone _ is well aware of what you've done. They haven't forgotten, what you did is sorta hard to neglect. But then again, you did call for a clean slate and that also  _ includes _ yours as well," he mentioned with a nod.

"What's the difference this time you ask? There's many differences for sure, but the main one is 'never again'." The Captain was using Hans' own words against him.

"If you are any kind of bastard now, it's definitely a stubborn one. I don't know if it's an Isles thing or if it's just you but, you're something else, you know that Westergaard? I don't know of many men, if any, that would be willing to accept more punishment after receiving a flogging like yours. Most men would have been content to surviving or just embrace death, rather than be bold enough to return to attempt to atone, especially when it seemed nothing more than a foolish gamble or a death wish. Taking that extra step to try to make amends really says a lot about a man and his conscience," he assured with a nod. 

The Captain remembered something he forgot to say earlier. "It's not like the men are just blindly trusting you, a lot of those men have seen you in action, fighting alongside them. You know, you could have very well sat on your ass during the raid,  _ no one expected anything from you _ , and yet you charged in to aid and got the scars to prove it, that's gotta count for something," noted the Captain. 

"You've already exceeded expectations, with your actions." Thinking he'd talked too much the Captain shifted a bit in his seat. "All this rambling to say, you already try you're damnedest and yet you still don't think that's enough. You're too hard on yourself, and no I haven't forgotten the bad things you've done, but you dwell too much on them, you think they overshadow the good you've done or are going to do. You don't have to constantly try so hard to prove yourself."   
  


Hans listened, and even after the first part about the sword, smiled a little to himself and looked away, as if he was flattered. 

"Never again, is right." He agreed with a nod. 

"I need someone like you around, too. I suppose I assumed they didn't notice me. I tend to, I'm not usually noticeable, apart from the hair. The  _ Royal Shade." _ He laughed dryly. "We started calling the cat on my ship 'Your Highness', so I wouldn't have to answer it. Someone would ask for 'the prince' and we'd all point to the cat. He had the same fur color as my hair, we joked." He laughed a little at the memory.

"'Hard on myself', one could say that. Others might say 'not hard enough'. Murder is an exceptional crime, even attempted. Technically speaking I should've been hanged in the Isles, but my eldest brother didn't want to see that scene play out, when my dress rehearsal went so poorly before." He made a lot of theatrical references. From  _ 'aye there's the rub' _ to speaking of 'dress rehearsals' and 'performances'. The oddity of that almost disguised the subtle suggestion laced there in his last sentence. He had another thought about the captain, but decided it was better left unsaid, at least for this drink. 

"Perhaps they don't need to worry about lies yet, then. I'll worry about that some other time, and worry about reviewing those tests. I mean it, when I say we should add women and the Deaf to our roster. People who get overlooked, usually, can be the most determined. I've never seen fighters more determined than female pirates, for a certainty. Even cornered they'd sooner hack a chunk out of you than give up easily, perhaps because they know what can happen when they do, if the men they surrender to are anything less than honorable." He didn't like the idea, but he knew it was likely true. He was back to business, perhaps in hopes that the Captain forgot about his implications.   
  
  


The Captain laughed a little at Hans' reminiscence of the red furred feline. 

"That's true, a coup isn't something easy to overlook, nor should it be, but since you've been given the opportunity to redeem yourself, you need to find a balance between being too hard and too soft when it comes to disciplining yourself . I'll do my best to keep you in check, and if I think your slacking, I'm not afraid to reprimand you, if need be," he chuckled, but he was serious. The Captain had taken note of his mention of a 'dress rehearsal' and though he was curious of the reasoning behind it, he didn't bring it up (he was trying to brighten the boy's spirits after all), but kept in mind. 

"I'll see what I can do about broadening up the recruitment, if you think we can find promising potential soldiers among people we failed to take into account, I'll welcome them with pleasure. We really can't afford to undermine anyone willing to protect Arendelle, especially when we need everyone we can get," concurred the Captain with a nod, getting back to talking business like Hans wanted.   
  
  


"Agreed, the defenses seem so small for a castle so sprawling." Hans seemed genuinely put off by that. "At least in the Southern Isles, the castle has a boatload of well-trained princes with swords, and maids who know poisons, and the castle is built like a  _ castle. _ It's ancient, it's meant to be sieged and survive. Arendelle is too new for ancient sieges and building clockwise spiral stairs for defense. It's a little unnerving. Are you  _ kingdom _ guards or  _ castle _ guards? It seems the team is too small to protect a whole kingdom, too large for a castle-- but the castle is such a unique shape for a kingdom. As if someone began by building a house, and forgot to stop." He was amused by the concept, certainly. 

"Part of it might be that I'm fluent in sign language, at least for my brother. We could spread that sign language in Arendelle, if there is no current sign language here. A standardization would help to bind Arendelle and the Southern Isles, if only very slightly. Not that I'm after that for any personal reason, but my brother Bernhard is Deaf, and he never leaves the castle if he can help it. No-one takes the time or energy to learn, but his brothers. It would be nice to expand his horizons, if he could be convinced to venture outside." It wasn't for selfish reasons, but for a brother that he took an interest.

"Ah well, you didn't want to talk about this, I'm sure. So, what do men of good standing talk about here? I'm sure you don't talk about women in quite the same way we do on boats, but I'm not sure what else you'd prefer. I don't watch sports, but I do know a thing or two about pirates and good adventure stories and the like." He didn't say he didn't talk about women, only that he suspected the Captain wouldn't appreciate him talking about them-- which suggested, at least, that he was still a warm-blooded male who did take an interest in the opposite sex.    
  
  


"Arendelle's defenses became inadequate due to the luxury of living peacefully for so long. Like I've said before and it's quite obvious to see, even though we're a fairly newer kingdom, we haven't really adapted with the rest of the world. It truly is a miracle that we lived so prosperously until recently, it's a good thing our kingdom was often overlooked," he admitted a bit ashamed. "The castle guard, though I don't think it makes much difference either way, most of the military resides here in the capitol and the rest of the armed forces for the rest of the kingdom's provinces are heavily reliant on the militia. The entirety of Arendelle's defenses require an overhaul," the Captain let out a disgruntled sigh. "And yes, the castle wasn't built as much of a stronghold, since it they were confident on it's optimal location near the fjord would be enough to keep out intruders. In days of olde it might have sufficed, being able to see incoming attackers and being protected by the fjord, but it doesn't really work when the enemy knows your defenseless and manages to evade the natural deterrent undetected," he explained, which is what happened during the raid. 

"I'm not aware of an official sign language in Arendelle, but it could be quite useful in more ways than just strengthening our alliance," agreed the Captain. He thought it was admirable that he thought of his brother and wanted to find a way to broaden his horizons. “Definitely something you should bring up to the Queen." 

"And you are correct in assuming I would not partake in discourse about women, for I am a married man. Though I probably wouldn't engage,  _ nor would want to either _ , out of respect, even if that wasn't the case. Stories are good, yes, but men don't have to be constantly yammering in order to be entertained Westergaard," chuckled the Captain. Hans did like to blabber like a parrot given the chance, not the Captain minded, he was an entertaining lad, but all this talk could be rather exhausting.

"Drinks and cards could be adequate entertainment." The Captain took out a pack of cards and placed them on the table.   
  
  


Hans held up his hands in defeat. "No talk of women, fair enough. I only do because the men often do and otherwise it makes them difficult to converse with." He assured sweetly. 

"Congratulations on the marriage, and on being so faithful. I've known some right bastard men who aren't." He shrugged. He seemed a bit off-put, though. "I don't get to talk much at home, so I speak too much everywhere else. What shall we play?" He could shut up as easily as he spoke, though now he had more to turn over in his mind. "You've kids?" He proposed, short and purely curious. The Captain seemed like he would have kids.   


"Thank you," he grinned, appreciating the compliment, he truly loved his wife. "You don't have to hold your tongue, just saying that you don't have to yatter," the Captain assured him, he didn't wish to discourage him. "There aren't many card games for two, we could play piquet perhaps," he suggested, with a shrug. "Unless you have something else in mind." 

"Kids? Just one so far," he answered. " A little girl."

"Ah, that explains some things about you." Hans joked playfully, at the idea of a little girl in the Captain's family. "Let's see, you can't be  _ that _ much older than me, perhaps... ten at the oldest, the way you speak of her?" He proposed, purely guessing as a way to keep the conversation alive. 

He imagined the Captain to be ten years older than him, or a few years younger than that; and he himself was twenty-four, plenty old enough to have a kid himself, though he had no interest in it at the moment. Most seemed to have children young, so he guessed based on that. 

"I've heard of Piquet, but never played. It's usually poker on a ship, or spades. If we had more people, I could show you how to play Cheat, or as most people call it, 'Bullshit'. Or Spoons, if we feel like a bunch of children, I quite like that one." He had no fond memories of gaming with his brothers, they weren't the gaming sorts, or those that were ones he wouldn't want to game with. 

"Maybe we should drag someone else into our games. There's Speed, I suppose."    
  
  
"Is that so?" he gave a hearty laugh. "Though I'm well aware I am an old man at heart, I truly might not be much more than a decade your senior. You'd suppose, by the way I am, that I'd marry much sooner, but I didn't get wed until I was a tad bit older than you are now, the ripe old age of 27. How old are you now Westergaard? 24-25?" he questioned. 

"We had our little girl soon after, she's almost six years old, and if you do the math you can figure out how old I am."

"Piquet is a bit complicated to explain. So if you can manage to get some others to join us, which I'm sure wouldn't be hard for you, then we can play one of your suggestions either Cheat or even Spoons if you really like," chuckled the Captain. "Might be one of the last times to be childish before the rigorous training begins."   
  
  


"Twenty four." Hans agreed, amused. "I tend to assume most people have children by twenty, but I often forget the age discrepancy between men and women, too. Women tend to be married younger, men older, that was my assumption wrong. I was close to right about your age, at least." He laughed a little at the thought. 

"Oh nonsense, there's always time around the edges to be childish." He assured, with a casual wave. "As I said on the boat: Shiny brass buttons are all well and good, but if making your men shine buttons all day makes the men hate you, then  _ damn _ the buttons." He waved casually, and took another sip of his drink. 

"Who fancies beating the Captain of the Guard and the worst criminal in Arendelle at a friendly game of lying at cards? I'll teach, if anyone wants to join us." He knew they were both recognizable faces in Arendelle, and he used that to his advantage in the tavern, picking up the cards to shuffle them loudly, a call to most men in the kingdom. "No wagers, I imagine it would upset the Captain, but we can always make the losers buy drinks." He suggested playfully, grinning over at the Captain, as if to say  _ 'You have not yet seen the beginning of my charisma' _

"Would you believe, my brother  _ Eduard _ is the charismatic one?" He teased. "We're all actors, the lot of us. Some better than others. I learned to be whatever I need to be. Eduard learned how to be  _ himself _ so well that everyone liked him for it. A mirror and a portrait, in a sense. Some may not like him, but he and I were always quite close." He continued shuffling the cards, hoping to be joined. 

"I'm in, it's a slow day." A barmaid suggested, pulling over a chair and straddling it like a man. 

"Oh, I like you already, you'll be good at this." Hans assured, waving her into the game. "One more?" He proposed, looking around.   


"I guess you're right about all work and no play," he nodded remembering the proverb. The Captain was well aware of Hans charisma, that's why he asked  _ him _ to be the one to recruit players. The captain shot him back a look as if saying  _ 'Don't test my patience, boy.' _

With the Barmaid joining in, a young man at one of the nearby tables finally stepped up, to fill the opening. 

"If Ida's playing, I want to join too," he said determined, calling the barmaid by her name meaning he was a tavern regular or knew her personally. "See if I can finally get a free drink from her," he laughed, flashing her a smile.   
  
  


Hans grinned at the Captain, a little more childish, a little more playful at the look. 

"Now, here's how we play." Hans shuffled one last time, and began to deal all the cards. "No cards withheld, we deal all fifty-two. Whomever has the ace of spades starts. You play as many Aces as you have in the center of the table. Then, play to the left. The next person plays as many twos, and the next as many threes, and so on. If you don't have any, lie. If you suspect someone of lying, say 'Bullshit' or whatever variant you prefer. If you're caught lying, you pick up all the cards. If you try to catch someone else lying but they told the truth, you pick up all the cards. We play until either someone is out, or we can continue playing until only two are left." As he finished, they each had their pile of cards. 

"So, who has the ace of spades?" He asked sweetly. He picked up his cards to spread them. 

"Two aces." Ida played first, boldly. She seemed passing familiar with this one, at least. "Good luck on that drink, Derrick, you'll be waiting on it a long time." She assured. Playful banter, without anger, and it was Derrick's turn.   
  
  


"Waiting until the end of this game is a pretty long time indeed," Derrick bantered back. He stared Ida down for a moment. "I think you're bluffing," he asserted. 

"You sure about that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Of course! Bullshit!" he exclaimed over confidently. 

"If you say so." Ida shrugged nonchalantly and flipped her cards to reveal an ace of spades and an ace of clubs, before a large grin crossed her lips. 

"Dammit!" Derrick groaned in disappointment. Picking up the cards to add to his hand. 

"Still think you'll be getting that drink?" Ida boasted, roaring with laughter. The Captain laughed earnestly as well, the game had just begun and it was already off to a great start. Hans' turn followed.    


  
Hans laughed. "Who would bluff at the start of the game, when the ace of spades must start? You had me going, unless the Captain's deck has two aces of spades? Cheating at poker lately, old man?" Hans teased, calling the Captain 'old man' in the same way the Captain called him 'boy'.

Just playful banter so far as Hans was concerned. 

"No no, don't pass it to me, you still must play, Derrick, twos to the table." Hans insisted. 

Derrick grumbled and played two twos, and Hans suspected at least one was a lie, but decided not to call him out. 

"One three." Hans laid down his own. 

"So, what makes you the worst criminal in Arendelle?" Ida asked, confident enough in herself that she wasn't the least afraid to ask. 

"My reputation, of course, it is all a man has. Tried to kill the Queen, if you believe the stories. Now I'm teaching the Watch how not to let it happen again, and somehow nobody's had me killed yet." Hans didn't seem the least bit concerned about the number of patriots to the crown in the bar-- which was all of them. He took a drink of his rum. 

"Bold move, admitting that here." Derrick pointed out, with a bit of a scowl. 

"Aye and it's bold to call Bullshit on a first turn, we're all full of surprises. I tried to kill the queen, then I saved her during the Weselton raid. One good turn deserves another, and one good captain deserves another turn." Hans gestured to the Captain for his turn, as he reorganized his cards without fear.

  
  
The Captain nodded and made his move. 

"Four Fours," he declared, placing four cards atop the pile. Everyone looked at him in disbelief, thinking he was being either really bold or really dumb. 

"Now that definitely has to be Bullshit!" Ida insisted, knowing the odds of that were highly unlikely, she might have been more prone to believe three, but  _ all _ four seemed impossible. The Captain turned his cards and revealed that he in fact had  _ not _ been bluffing. Ida's mouth was agape incredulous. 

"No way," she uttered. 

"Sometimes life is rather unexpected, wouldn't you say? One shouldn't easily dismiss seemingly impossible odds," commented the Captain, giving Hans a knowing look. "You never know, taking that risk might end up being one of the best decisions you've made."

Ida was a bit vexed collecting all the cards and adding them to her hand. 

"Two fives," she said as she started the new discard pile. "And actually think it through before you call bullshit this time, will ya, Derrick." There was a slight grumble in her tone.   
  
  


Hans chuckled. "Tell that to my scars, Captain. I believe you but my back doesn't." He joked. 

Derrick was smart enough not to call it this time. 

"One six." 

"Bullshit, at least lie bravely." Hans turned the card over, himself, and shoved the cards back at him. 

"Two sevens. The trick to playing Bullshit, is being reasonably good at math, and watching everybody else. If everybody is equally surprised that four fours are being played, and nobody has immediately jumped down their throat, he must have all four." He shrugged. "It was the best decision to return, the worst to make it necessary, I'd say. The whole coronation affair was indeed my biggest regret in life, but at least it got me here, so it's not the worst of possibilities." He considered it a bit before nodding, as if he'd had to gauge some other possible 'biggest regret'.

"One eight. Making the best possibilities out of the worst situations seems to be one of life's favorite things to do," suggested the Captain. "Odds are rarely in your favor the way you want them, so you gotta make due with what you got." 

"Two Nines." 

"Bullshit!" 

"Well, look at that you actually got it right this time," Ida taunted. 

"Of course I did!" Derrick gloated, with a large smile. "Two Tens."   
  
  


"I wouldn't say 'favorite', but I would say 'required'. I am the thirteenth, I was never destined for  _ good _ things. If I get anything, good or ill, it's to be fought for. Three jacks." He set his cards down and shrugged. "And what of you two? A barmaid willing to play cards with a Captain of the Guard and a criminal, you don't seem scared of much. The Castle Guards are hiring, and we're certainly accepting female applicants." Hans proposed, diverting the conversation.   
  
  


"Oh! Is that so? I might consider joining the guard then," she laughed. "It does get rather drab at the tavern. I'm not afraid of brawling with the boys, ain't that right, Derrick?" Ida nudged him with her elbow. 

"Bullshit!" Ida turned to glare at Derrick, ready to hit him upside the head, until realizing he wasn't the one that'd spoken though, it was the Captain. She looked at him in confusion for a moment then remembered the game they were playing. He wasn’t doubting her capabilities, but Hans' cards. The Captain was a bit flustered at the momentary misunderstanding. Clearing his throat a bit in awkwardness. 

" _ I don't believe it, _ " he stated, once more this time with a much softer tone and use of words, the last time he'd spoken. The harshness of the way he'd said it last time, seemed uncharacteristic of him, hence the slight confusion. His articulation seemed to suggest that he wasn't strictly referring to the cards, but voicing his opinion of what Hans had previously said. He looked for the cards directly to Hans as he waited for the reveal.   
  
  


Hans seemed curious a moment, then smiled. 

"You've caught me again, Captain." He revealed his cards-- two Jacks, and a queen. "Now which part of what I  _ said _ were you  _ also _ calling bullshit on? 'Never destined for good things', I wager? Well, take it as you like it, but I've never believed in destiny, only power of will and determination. Just because I wasn't 'destined' for good things doesn't mean I can't force them, so I went and became an admiral." He shrugged, and picked up the few remaining cards. "If one must lie, lie boldly." He reminded the others with a sly smile. "And so the game begins in earnest." 

"At any rate -that puts queens on your shoulders, Captain.- I look forward to seeing a woman in the Guardstaff. I've never known a woman with a weapon who wasn't twice as terrifying as a man with the same. I faced a female pirate once; her crew was taken quickly and she was by no means its leader, but she was the last we could restrain, and she nearly took a chunk out of one of my men in the process. I admired her boldness. She was more memorable than even her captain. It's just a shame that in most places the punishment for piracy is death. Who knows, maybe she got out of it, Anne Bonny did." Hans knew a fair bit about pirates, even the long-dead historical ones.   
  
  


The Captain smiled, a bit relieved, he was perfectly fine with Hans being a self-made man, he had just been disturbed thinking that he thought he was a good for nothing, luckily that wasn't the case. 

"One Queen." 

"I'm really tempted to join myself," Ida affirmed. "I can help spread the word. Aside from myself, I also know a few other women that might be a perfect fit, as well, not your typical ‘angels of the house’ gals. That'd be ready to throw down a challenge in a heartbeat. Besides y'all might need a woman's perspective, especially if the guard's consist of a bunch of dullards like Derrick." 

"Hey, I take offense to that!" exclaimed Derrick. 

"Of course you do. It was an insult afterall,  _ dear _ Derrick." She razzed. "Two Kings." 

"I'm no dolt! I like to see myself as a risk-taker that didn't get it right," he confidently corrected with a smirk. "Four aces." He really did have two additional aces, that's why he'd jumped the gun last time, but Hans didn't know that.    
  
  
"Oh I definitely want to see you and your friends on the guard. We'll have to get some feminine-cut uniforms. And no I don't mean 'skirts'. Can't have you going about in ill-fitting wool coats on the Queen's watch." Hans observed.

"Always one queen, I'm surprised nobody called you on that, Captain." Hans wouldn't say he knew better, he could only confirm the existence of one queen, but he suspected someone else had the other queens. "If you manage to get through this night without getting caught at  _ least _ once, I swear..." He took a drink of his own rum. "Oh right, my turn. Two twos." Derrick, however, had played two twos before. Hans had suspected at least one was a lie, but was it?

  
  
The Captain chuckled at Hans' allegation about the Queen card. Sipping his drink as well. 

"Good, cause if you made us wear skirts. I'd expect the men to wear them as well," Ida said in a dead serious tone.

"Ida, why did you put that image in my head?" Derrick started laughing hysterically at the thought of the entirety of Arendelle guard wearing skirts.   
  
  


Hans laughed too, both at the Captain, and at Ida's joke. 

"Ah, you see, us  _ Queen's men _ know the truth-- there is  _ always _ only  _ one _ Queen." He joked, with a mock-posh tone, like the royal everyone tended to forget he actually was. "Thank  _ god _ it's this one, the one in the Isles is--" He elected to drink instead of finish that sentence, looking off as if to say  _ 'well, you know.' _

"Yes, the gents in skirts and the ladies in armor, I'd pay to see that. New rule, anyone makes fun of the female guards, they get a guard skirt." Hans proposed, with a wry grin. "We can tell foreign countries it's a Scottish Kilt, they'll probably be fine with it. Until the Scots visit."

Laughter boomed, and far beyond just the party of four playing at the table, they were joined by some of the surrounding tables as well. Of course people have been eavesdropping. How could they not? Who could easily ignore the Captain of the Guard sharing a drink with the most infamous and worst criminal Arendelle had to offer. Everyone was curious, because outside the castle walls there was only gossip of Hans.   
  
  


Hans grinned to himself, and cast a somewhat playful look to the Captain. 

_ "Oh _ I have an  _ audience _ now, do I?" He hummed. "Our next round may require a bigger table, then. Come on, if you're going to laugh, join the conversation, god knows I like to talk, and I like to annoy the Captain, who gets annoyed at my talking. It's a perfect setup." He joked, letting his charismatic attitude come out again. 

He was quite the chameleon. Morose alone, but the more people he could get to laugh with him, the more he laughed as well. He could tell stories or get serious, he could be a fury in battle, but still could not bring himself to anger when righteously struck by Anna. He seemed very unique in his manner, ever shifting. The more people there were to attend to, the broader his personality had to be, the more in-tuned with the other personalities he needed to become. He could be funny, but never silly. He could be chaotic, but never wild. Playful and childish, but never so un-serious that he couldn't come right back to a stern look when he needed to. In spite of his drinking, he still had an undercurrent of control. He knew exactly what mannerisms he was putting on.   
  
  


The Captain lifted an eyebrow and gave him a slight irked glance in return. An  _ 'Oh, brother' _ could almost be read from his expression. He let out a bit of exasperated grumble. 

"If it keeps you from talking my ears off, everybody is more than welcome to join," he quipped, taking another swig of his drink. The Captain made his next move in the game. "Also if you want me to get called out for any 'bullshit', I suggest you do it yourself boy," he challenged with a slight simper. He could tell Hans was trying to play it safe.   
  
  


"Ah, the conflicting nature of my character. Do I do for myself, because I am a hard worker, or let others take the risk for me, because I'm not a fool? A fine question, we'll figure it out when others don't pounce on their turns too quickly to call it." He laughed a little. "Are you calling me 'boy' because you feel old even though you're younger than my eldest brother? Or because you're irked about me putting you on the ground in the sword demonstration earlier?" Now he was just being a shit. In truth he thought it was endearing, mostly, but he was beginning to wonder about the nature of it.   
  
  


"Not a fool, ey? You say that, but I've heard otherwise. If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure  _ 'Fool' _ is one of your official titles, granted by the Queen even, what an honor," chuckled the Captain. If Hans was being a jackass, he wasn't going to hold back either. "I call 'em like I see 'em," he shrugged a little before adding. " _ Boy _ ."   
  
  


Hans laughed, caught by surprise. 

"The Captain has bested me in my own game." He raised a glass in salute. "But for the record, I gave my  _ own _ dumb ass that title, thank you very much. It was easier than explaining to the snow-child why an attempted murderer is telling jokes to the Queen." He shrugged. "For my next act, I shall balance on a chair. Doubly fun if my next glass is a double." He finished his drink and set it down, just being playful. He was sarcastic, of course-- unless someone challenged him.   
  
  


The Captain finished his drink and ordered another round, who would pay for it would be determined later. The game continued, and Hans and Captain were the ones with the least amount of cards. Ida and Derrick were the ones calling 'Bullshit' mostly against each other and Hans, the Captain did seem to be getting away with his plays. 

"You know what I just realized, Westergaard? Unless I'm mistaken, if you lose I'll have to pay for it too, cause I doubt you’re given pension." he brought up. "But knowing you don't accept aid and value hard work, I'm sure you'll find another way to compensate."    
  
  
  
Hans laughed. "Always, Captain. Hard work like training Her Royal Majesty  _ and _ your recruits for you? I forget, am I a prisoner or a swordmaster? Nobody seems entirely clear on what my role here is-- least of all, me." He leaned back and shrugged a little. He didn't drink yet, wanting to be clear on the monetary situation. He did feel he held the right cards. "Or did you intend for me to start a brothel? I grant you I'm handsome enough Captain, but that really sounds more like my brother Eduard's thing." That was definitely delivered like a joke, but he grinned wryly at Ida, hoping she would jump in on that setup.    
  
  


Of course, Ida jumped in without hesitation, she wouldn't miss out on the chance of flustering the Captain of the Guard, how often would an opportunity like that present itself? Ida played along and began to look Hans up and down. 

"Oh, yes. Easy money for sure. A man with all your  _ qualities _ , are  _ very _ hard to come by," she observed, with a glint of the eye. "You could easily undertake an entire brothel all by your lonesome," she was slightly poking fun at Hans for the 'start a brothel' comment, since brothels required more than one. 

The Captain had gotten flustered from the beginning, since he was indeed reliant on Hans, and that in itself was embarrassing enough. But, when Hans brought up the alternative and even if it was just a joke, had made his eyes widen and his facial features shifted to utter horror. It was rather easy to ruffle his feathers, with  _ that _ subject. 

"Oh dear  _ God _ , no!" the Captain shuddered, covering his face with one hand for a moment, before making his fingers rub the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Anything, but that." Hans had really tested the Captain's patience.   
  
  


Hans snickered a little. "Sorry Captain, twelve brothers have rather made me good at teasing. God knows we're no good for anything else until we can swing swords about. Anyway, whatever your last play was, bullshit." Hans had been watching the game in between witticisms, and noted that he and the Captain both were perilously low on cards. He wasn't stupid, the game only got good when the pile was thick-- though someone picking the pile up late, as often happened, made for an intrigue as well, for then no-one truly knew the fate of the cards. And if he had to pick some up, well, Hans was one of the few who had strategies for Cheat beyond 'the last card in anyone's hand is almost always bullshit'.

"Finally calling me out on my bullshit. Congratulations it paid off," concluded the Captain, picking up the pile after revealing his cards. The pile wasn't too big, but thick enough to significantly push Hans in the lead with the least amount of cards.

"Don't be too proud, captain, I was aware of your bullshit a while back, but what are friends for, if not supporting one-another's nonsense?" He joked dryly. "Or perhaps, is it rude to call you a friend of a treasoner? I would hate to insult you." That was much less of a joke, as he continued to watch his cards. "Is this a bad time to admit that this game can easily go for an hour?" He smiled a little to himself and drank his rum, but there was a bit of insincerity to it. Any time he got to thinking about himself, it seemed he got a little less genuine, a little less jovial.

"I'd be more offended if you didn't think there was some sort of camaraderie between us," answered the Captain. "Considering we're gonna be spending a lot of time working together. If you thought I was good for nothing other than jokes and buying drinks, I'd be insulted for sure." He chuckled. 

"You know not that long ago, if someone'd told me I'd someday be sharing a drink with Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, I'da laughed in their face and thought they were crazy." He laughed a little to himself. "Look at me now, I'm playing cards even." 

"Now don't go blabbing that the Captain of the Guard takes criminals out for drinks, if the guys in the dungeon catch wind of it they'll have themselves a field day," joked the Captain. He chuckled a bit then got a bit more serious. "You really think I'd ask  _ anyone _ to share a drink with me? And much less a common criminal? If so, you're sorely mistaken, I only reserve that privilege for people I  _ respect _ ." The Captain raised his glass and drank from it.   
  
  


Hans seemed a little wry, and gestured around him. 

"I imagine anyone here would have thought it equally hilarious so much as a month ago. I bring out interesting qualities in people, and they do the same to me." He admitted. "Forgive me for not thinking much of myself. I've earned an admiralty and that much I consider admirable. An Admirable Admiral. Hah. But the rest I could take or leave. Maybe the swordplay." He gave an offhand shrug. "Princes are a dime a dozen in the Isles, and you get the thirteenth free." Still, that was a joke, but he seemed somewhat lightened. His tone fluctuated seemingly with the tides, for how fluid he could be, jokes and jibes turning into self-deprecation and mild loathing for himself alone, yet he maintained a tone of friends at a bar, no matter how many were listening.   
  


\--    
  
The night at the tavern continued with a few more rounds of cards, after the first game concluded, to Derrick's dismay he lost the first game and had to buy the table drinks. After testing the waters with the first round, a lot of the bystanders decided to join in the fun, for themselves. Which meant more drinks, quips and laughter. After a few rounds and tired of being awarded something simple like alcohol, they'd decided to up the ante for the final round and raise the stakes to something that was worth a bit more, (not monetary, but something that'd put their dignities on the line) they agreed to bet that everyone other than the winner had to sing a song. The Captain was greatly relieved to have won that round. Soon after disbanding what seemed to be an endless concert of drunken singing, that dragged on a tad bit too long thanks to Hans actually enjoying the punishment and crowd continuously asking for an encore, the Captain finally called it a night. He decided it'd be best if escorted Hans back to the castle before he became too inebriated.


	19. Girls' Night

Elsa was aware that Hans had gone to introduce himself to the guard and unofficially get them started on the re-training process that morning. Having a ton of her own duties to attend to, she hadn't yet gotten the chance to stop by and visit him to ask him how it had gone. By the time she'd found an opening in her busy schedule it was already evening. But, when she arrived at his room, he was nowhere to be seen, he'd already left with the Captain. 

The empty room troubled her, yet not necessarily in the expected way of Hans being missing. No, instead the feeling washed over her because of a realization she'd just made. (She didn't doubt his absence was likely due to being in the Captain's company, who’d probably taken him out for some fresh air. His blade was on the bureau, and he wasn't one to roam outside his quarters, especially with his mobility yet to be at its finest). 

What she'd realized, that left a slight bitter taste in her mouth, was that she'd been unconsciously treating Hans like some sort of caged bird. One that she assumed she could come visit whenever she felt like having him sing for her. She felt it was selfish of her and that didn't sit right with her, especially considering he was no longer her prisoner. She was disappointed in herself that it took Hans not being there, for her to notice her thoughtless behavior.

Hans wouldn't always be at her disposal, once he was all healed (which was fast approaching), he'd no longer be confined to his chamber. He was there to serve her and Arendelle, yes, but to a certain extent he'd be free. Anna might have been right in questioning what exactly would happen once he was no longer injured, and the reality of that happening rather soon was just beginning to sink in. 

With Hans' full recovery being right around the corner, she knew that her sword training wasn't too far off either. Elsa knew she couldn't keep her training hidden from Anna, with how well keeping secrets from her went last time. This time she was going to be upfront and honest with her even if it terrified her to upset Anna. She was determined to no longer shut doors on her, or at least try her best not to. Elsa and Anna hadn't had much of an in depth conversation about Hans since the night Anna had confronted him. She'd plan to discuss that with her sister after supper, preferably after having some much needed nice relaxing, sisterly leisure time, so they'd be in good spirits. Hopefully it'd go over much better this time without tensions running so high.

  
  
  
Anna was in good spirits as usual. She and Kristoff were getting on well, with Kristoff still having not yet asked her to visit his home. He was brave against all manner of magic and violence, but he would always be a little nervous when it came to being liked by the few people whose opinions he cared about. No man could make him fear, but the prospect of asking Anna out, or for any new advancement in their relationship, seemed as terrifying as the idea of some skirmish. As such, the two were as chatty as usual over dinner, all polite, of course, but always light and cheerful. Kristoff seemed to sense that something bothered Elsa, but he politely said nothing, only gave her a curious head-tilt to invite her to talk about it. He wouldn't be bothered if he was ignored. 

"So, how has your evening been?" Anna asked brightly, not minding. She had been informed that Hans was out of his room for the guard training-- and as such, she felt significantly safer around Kristoff, so she had clung to him for the day. Not afraid, but...  _ concerned. _ _   
_ _   
_   
  


"Hmm?" Elsa let out a questioning hum, she'd been a bit distracted, lost in her thoughts. It took her a moment to register the question she'd been asked. "Oh. Uh, it's been fine I suppose, busy like always, a Queen's duties are never ending." She gave a weary smile. "Most matters regarding the raid are under control, but I could really use a mental break from all the paperwork."   
  
  
  


"I bet! Why don't we take the evening and do something fun? Just the three of us?" Anna suggested cheerfully. 

"Maybe just the two of you, you sisters need some time to enjoy yourselves without a man kicking around." Kristoff suggested lightly, seeing Elsa's need perhaps better than Anna did. He also saw Anna's slight discomfort. "I'll stay nearby, don't you worry about it. If you need me you can call for me." He knew Anna was uncomfortable with Hans around, but he suspected she was getting more nervous about it over time, instead of less. Anna seemed to settle with that reassurance, though.

"That would be lovely," Elsa assured with a smile. "It's been a while since we had a relaxing time together, with things being so hectic lately." 

"Are you sure you wouldn't care to join us, Kristoff?" Elsa asked more out of courtesy than anything else, because she indeed wanted some alone time with her little sister. She was deeply grateful for Kristoff's innate ability to read the room.   
  
  
  


"I'll be just fine. Maybe I'll spend some time with Sven, I'm sure he's been getting a little lonely. I could take Olaf too, so he doesn't interrupt girl time. We can go for a walk or something. He's been getting deep and maybe we can talk philosophy and magic and pretend to be civilized for a minute while brushing reindeer." Kristoff did have a funny sense of humor sometimes. They made for a weird crew and he knew it.   
  


" Sounds like you gents will have your own boys night out of sorts," Elsa commented with a slight giggle.    
  
  


"Sounds like a plan to me." Kristoff agreed lightly. "We'll be back well before bedtime, princess feistypants." He assured Anna with a playful smile. She scrunched her nose at him, pretending to be annoyed by the nickname when really, she thought it was cute and endearing. More fun than just 'princess' for sure.   
  
  


After clearing dinner, the two sisters headed over to the parlor. The parlor was adjacent to the music room. The music room was definitely underutilized despite both girls loving music. Though there were a few factors that kept them (well mostly Elsa) from making use of the music room. Firstly was that there was rarely any time in her rather busy schedule for such distractions and secondly, and possibly more importantly, was the fact that Elsa had finite musical talent, she may have the voice of a siren, but that prowess did not extend to instruments as well. Elsa could play the piano fairly well, but she was rather inept with all other instruments, she could probably passably play a triangle and maybe bukkehorn, but other than that her musical finesse was rather limited. The music room, of course, had a piano, a harp (which Elsa had yet to hear Hans play) as well as a plethora of other unused instruments. 

"So what should we do to start our sisterly session? Playing a game, perhaps? I doubt you'd enjoy just sitting around reading, but drawing might be fun. There's also plenty of instruments we can try to play. Or we could just have a nice chat." Elsa eagerly offered suggestions, listing what ever came to mind and was easily accessible. "Or do you have something else in mind that we could possibly do? I'm fine with whatever you want to do, as long as we're doing it together."   
  
  
  


Anna hopped a little at the thought. Elsa so rarely had time to do anything together, but now that they had time, what  _ could _ they do?

"Ooh, we could start with chatting and see if anything fun comes up? Maybe send for tea and sweets? We can curl up on one of the couches together and talk about something that isn't government. Like, adventure! Or stuff we want to do someday." She proposed, and quickly found a spot, offering her arms to Elsa so they could curl up together. "Kristoff has been telling me about what it's like living in the forest. It sounds hard, but also really nice. Apparently there's a bunch of ice harvesters and loggers on the mountain with their own little makeshift settlement or something. Or, a church and a pub and some houses. Which he tells me counts as a village at least. I'm not sure if I count  _ Wandering Oaken's _ trading post as a 'general store', though." Anna was always good at starting conversations, but keeping them going was another challenge.

Elsa happily curled up alongside Anna. "Oh, that’s nice. Has Kristoff said anything about when he plans on taking you to visit his home? I've granted him permission to do so, but haven't heard anything regarding that since," Elsa continued the conversation, curious to know the answer.

"What? No, he didn't say anything about that! So that's why he's been so nervous lately." Anna sounded intrigued, and practically vibrated with excitement. "You granted permission? Oh, thank you! That's going to be so fun and exciting! I wish he wasn't so nervous about things like that." She always loved Kristoff and the things she learned about him, she just wished he wasn't so anxious about sharing those parts of himself. She loved the Mountain Man, not the 'official Ice Master of Arendelle' nonsense title that made him a lord.   
  
  
  


"Oh! I shouldn't have said anything then, I might have spoiled a surprise," Elsa said as she briefly covered her mouth with her hand. " I just assumed, since you two seem so openly vocal in your relationship, that you would have discussed it already, but I often forget that Kristoff tends to be a bit more anxious like me. Now that I think of it he was a bit nervous asking me for permission as well. He truly does revere you Anna, I'm sure he's just trying to get it right," she assured. "I would really hate to be the one responsible for making you coax it out of him." The last part was a mix of a warning and a tease. Elsa knew exactly how her sister could get when she was excited.   
  
  
  


Anna giggled a little. "Okay I won't make him ask~" She hummed, wiggling a little in place. It was definitely going to be hard to get her to not say anything, but she was excited about it. "But I hope he asks soon so I can say yes! I want to go see what he's so nervous about! Jeez, I guess I never really thought about the fact that I've never seen where he lives or what his home life is like-- I don't even know if he has any friends outside of Sven. He talks about the Ice Harvesters but like, I don't know their names? Oh man I really don't know enough about him, do I?" She couldn't help but wonder if that was a bad sign. Was it her bad, or was she moving too fast too soon? How soon was too soon? Were they doing this right? She was absolutely wiggling in her seat, trying to decide all of those things and getting nowhere.

  
  
  
"I'm sure he'll ask soon, you can nudge him a little, if you want, just don't push too hard," Elsa said as she gave a half-suppressed laugh. "Whoa, l think it's perfectly fine you don't know everything yet, you're still working on building your relationship. Even though it feels like it's been forever that you've been together, you two are still slowly and steadily figuring it out. I'm sure the main reason Kristoff wants to take you to his home is to answer some of those inquiries and show you more of his way of life," Elsa reassured her, trying to calm her racing thoughts. "Though maybe another reason why you don't know that stuff is just because Kristoff is rather reserved. Even though he's a fine, friendly fellow, he's not much of a people person, though I think you're responsible for bringing out more of his social side," She paused. "He's already introduced you to his family, the Trolls, and I think if he had other important people in his life he would have surely brought them up by now."   
  
  
  


Anna settled a little and nodded. "I guess that makes sense," she hummed, wiggling a little in her seat. They were still young and still trying to take things slow. Or at least, much slower than the  _ last _ time she tried to date a guy. That uncertainty might always be there, and she couldn't help but be worried. "He is quiet, but he always listens to everything, and chimes in when he has something he thinks you should hear. It's always something good, he's a great listener." She smiled dreamily to herself. Kristoff just made her happy.   
  


Elsa smiled. "I'm well aware of that, he's wise beyond his years and always seems to know the right thing to say when you need it," Elsa added. " He's a good guy and I'm happy you found each other."   
  
  
  


Anna smiled a bit, getting some warm fuzzies at the thought of Elsa approving of Kristoff, and that they might be True Love the way she imagined it. She paused though. 

"And what about you?" She asked, cautiously. "Any interest in finding yourself someone special? Not so you can do the Royal Duty thing, but just, to have someone else close to you? I know you're not as social as I am, but I can't imagine being as isolated as you for so long and not immediately wanting someone nearby." That had perhaps been Anna's folly, but she couldn't envision  _ not _ doing that. Maybe it was for the best, things happened as they did, that she didn't end up marrying someone who would only turn out to be a bastard later down the line.   
  
  


"Hmm? Someone special?" Elsa pondered. "... I've got  **_you_ ** , don't I? And I'm happy with that. Do I really need to find someone else?"   
  
  


"I suppose not, but, what will you do when I'm out with Kristoff? I'll always be your sister, but don't you ever feel like there are some things that you'd like to share with someone else instead? Or that you need a bigger support network? I don't know, maybe I just like having more people around me. Kristoff says that's something to do with my 'type', whatever that means." She shrugged a little. "Maybe most people like just having one or two people. Kristoff sure seems to."   
  
  
  


Elsa thought about it for a moment. It's true, that she would get rather lonely especially down the line if and when Kristoff and Anna eventually got married and they wouldn't always be there for her. But would she really be alone? Her mind began to wander and it landed on Hans. He was someone she'd already shared parts of herself she hadn't done with anyone else, because she thought he'd understand her better. With that in mind, she began asking herself the same question she asked time and time again.  _ What was Hans to her? _ A friend or something else? She still wasn't sure how to label him. And more importantly was it even alright for her to think of him like that? She slightly shook her head trying to get those thoughts out of her head, definitely thoughts she wasn't willing to share that with Anna. 

"I think I'll be just fine," Elsa nodded. " I'm perfectly happy with the few people I've got."   
  
  
  


"Alright, just, let me know if I need to spend more time with you, okay? We've been apart for too long. I'll always be ready to spend more time with you." Anna assured, leaning on Elsa a little so they could have their time as sisters together. "So, what's on  _ your _ mind, then? I've talked about my guy, what's new in your life?"

  
  
  
"Thank you, Anna." Elsa did the same and shifted herself closer to her sister. "I thought you didn't want to hear about drabby government stuff?" Elsa laughed. Of course she had more on her mind, but was it too soon to bring it up and possibly spoil the moment?   
  
  
  


"Hmm I don't, but maybe if I keep asking, you'll find a hobby that isn't signing papers." Anna teased, holding Elsa's arm in both of hers just to be sweet. She did love her sister very much, and didn't mind that her sister could be a bit boring at times. That was nothing new, she was raised to be a queen. Could hardly hold that against her   
  
  
  
"Oh, I wish I had the time for a hobby dearest sister, instead of having an arduous amount of paperwork to deal with, but it's got to be done," she sighed. "What kind of hobby would you picture me doing? Aside from reading, if I had the time?" She curiously asked.   
  
  
  


"Hmm, I don't know. Some ladies do, needlework, or maybe you'd go riding? All the reading has to make you want to go cross-eyed after a while, and you're the Ice Queen. You're a sculptor and an artist at heart, I've seen your castle." Anna pointed out, referring to the ice palace, of course. "Maybe you should try other arts, see what happens? If nothing else it sounds like fun."   
  
  
  


"I think needlework would be too dull, even for me, though I do like the design aspect of it. As for riding I think that sounds lovely, if only the horses would take a liking to me. I've always been fond of art and geometry, so I guess it would be nice to do some more ice sculptures, to test my abilities a bit more, but the problem with that would be where to put them." Elsa noted. "You're right I should try something creative just for the fun of it. Playing piano also again sounds fun even if I'm definitely out of practice."   
  
  
  


"Well, you'll only be in-practice if you practice." Anna admitted with a smile and a shrug. She looked around curiously, noting the harp. "Of course, I imagine it's been a while since any of these were tuned. I don't think either of us ever played the Harp." They had it, of course, someone in their family must have played some ages ago, but she didn't know who or when. She had plucked the strings in her infinite boredom, but never really learned to play.   
  
  
  


"True," Elsa smiled back. "Yeah, and it sure is a shame they aren't being used." She might have mentioned that Hans was able to play the harp if she didn't know Anna was likely not interested in knowing that information.   
  
  
  


Anna let the silence sit a moment. She hated silences, quiet always bothered her. But she gauged the moment, and Elsa. It seemed like Elsa wanted to say more than she did, which was odd to her. 

"Is something bothering you?" She proposed, curiously. She was always upfront about these things, never too good at intricacies or subtleties when talking to people. Kristoff was a much better suitor to her than Hans ever would have been, with his caution and tempered words and changing demeanor.   
  
  
  


Okay, this was the second time Anna was asking, the first time she only asked what was on her mind and that she could easily brush off in conversation, but this time she'd asked more directly. Elsa felt like she had to answer her, it was her opening which she had to take before she lost her nerve, no more beating around the bush. 

Elsa flinched a little, letting out a sigh slightly laced in distress.

"Well kinda, um... It doesn't bother me per se... but it might bother you though." She took a slight breath. "...but I want to be honest with you...like I promised. Um... It involves me and Hans," Elsa stammered. She'd slightly blurted out the last part as she closed her eyes with a grimace.   
  
  
  


Anna hesitated. "You're not  _ dating _ him, are you?" She just had to make sure, the way Elsa was spitting it out like that. She could handle a  _ lot _ but she really hoped it wasn't that, at least not to start with. Anna was prone to stupid things but she sure hoped Elsa was smart enough not to make the exact same mistake that she did.

Elsa was not expecting Anna to ask  _ that _ at all, she was utterly stupefied. In a fraction of a second her face altered between petrifyingly pale to completely crimson. Her mouth was agape and only unintelligible noises seemed to escape it. Her icy blue gawking at her sister almost wondering if she'd heard her correctly.  _ Dating him? _ Elsa could barely decipher if she could even consider him a friend, let alone  _ boyfriend _ . Elsa thought when she told Anna earlier that she wasn't looking for a 'someone special' that it was clear she wasn't interested pursuing companionship (especially) of romantic variety, not that she was completely opposed to the idea, she just didn't think she was ready or eager to engage in that sort of relationship, as of yet. If Anna even had to ask, did that mean she thought they were rather close? Perhaps  _ too close _ , and if her own sister was questioning her about her relationship with Hans, how did everyone else view it? Maybe it was just Anna's worst-case scenario, and if that was the case, she certainly wouldn't be too thrilled when she really revealed what she wanted to discuss.

Elsa tried opening her mouth to speak but her voice was inaudible. She blinked a few times trying to get out of her stupor. Her face burning like never before, seemed to be helping in that respect as well. She had to bring her hands up to her cheeks just to try to cool them a bit. There was a slight twang to her tone when finally she managed to regain her voice. 

"W-what!? No! Of course not!" She spluttered in fluster as she frantically shook her head. "What gave you that absurd impression?" She covered her face completely with her hands for an instant trying to recompose herself. After taking a deep breath, she pulled her hands down across her face to look back up at Anna. 

"Though frankly, you're probably not going to be elated about what I actually wanted to inform you about either," she murmured as she took another deep sigh. Knowing that the mere prospect of her sister dating her ex already put Anna on edge, learning that instead Elsa would be taking sword fighting lessons from the same man that almost slayed her with one, wasn't going to go over any smoother.   
  
  


"You were just looking really nervous about it, and if it involved Hans it had to be something bad so I just made the nearest guess about what might make you nervous to talk to me. I can't imagine many  _ other _ things that would prompt you to look all nervous about talking to me, so I'm glad that's not the case." She did notice the long pause and red face, though. She couldn't quite decide what she thought of that, whether it was incredulous, rage, or embarrassment.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She laughed a little and squeezed Elsa's arm a little to encourage her to go on. "It can't be worse than that, surely?" She suggested lightly. She didn't yet know the half of it, of course.   


Elsa grumbled and winced. 

"Well..." Elsa began as she fumbled with her hands a bit. " I don't know if you'll consider this far better or worse," she faintly tittered. "... but, um, I want to be candid with you about what's going to happen ahead of time so you won't be surprised by it later," she explained, perhaps stalling a tad. She took another breath. "So... you know how Hans will be assisting in training the guards?" Elsa asked, as if Anna wasn't already well aware. "Once he's healed... he'll be teaching  _ me _ , as well."   
  
  
  


Anna seemed a little suspicious, but tentatively curious. 

"Training you... with swords?" She asked, genuinely curious. "You are really not bothered at  _ all _ by the fact that he tried to behead you, are you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Just-- make sure he's only using wooden swords, okay? And maybe keep a guard, or maybe Kristoff, while you're training?" Anna still didn't trust-- but she also doubted Hans would attempt to stab Elsa with a sword made of wood. He was better than that, at least.   
  
  
  


"Yes... with swords," Elsa nodded. She pursed her lips and shook her head. "Not really...I trust he won't  _ ever _ try to do something like that again," she said softly. Elsa sincerely believed that Hans would have never raised the sword against her, in the first place, had he not thought it was the only viable option given the abnormal circumstances. "Oh! Of course, a guard will be there to supervise and if it puts you more at ease, Kristoff's more than welcome to chaperone, as well," Elsa assured. Though she wasn't sure she could really promise that they'd always be restricted to only using wooden swords. Elsa was surprised that Anna was taking the news a lot better than she had expected.   
  
  
  


Anna frowned a little, clearly still not comfortable, but trying. 

"I wish I could be that confident in him. But I don't think I ever could be. Not after what he did to us." And Elsa's lack of concern really only made things worse. She was starting to wonder, did she  _ want _ to die that day? Was that why Elsa was so calm about all this? Or was Elsa truly unfazed by everything?

"I don't like this, Elsa. He's too charismatic, everyone just  _ believes _ him. Like what happened before was all a dream. Even the guards seem to like him. I did too, that didn't pay off." She wanted to be forgiving, but there was still a cold memory in her heart of being abandoned and locked away to die. She couldn't forget that, and she wasn't sure she could forgive it, either.   
  
  
  


"It's not like I wasn't doubtful at first either. I had plenty of my own concerns at the start, how could I not? What he did can't be ignored. Yet he's not the monster I once thought. I'm not condoning the heinous acts he's committed. How could I  _ ever _ forget, and let alone forgive him for what he's done? But also I can't continue to hold a grudge against him, not when he's trying so hard to make amends. I realized judging him  _ solely _ on his wrongdoings isn't very fair, especially to think they are what define him as a person, there's more to him than that. I know he feels guilty for what he's done. If he had no remorse he could have easily become a pirate or sought revenge like the Duke, instead of returning to Arendelle for more penance. He'd already received punishment once in the Isles by being stripped of his titles and lashed, and yet he thought that wasn't enough and came to ask for me for more, he was ready to take any punishment I gave him...including execution. I couldn't simply turn a blind eye to all effort." Elsa explained, trying to give Anna a better idea of why she trusted Hans. There was more to it of course, but she didn't want to be rambling the entire night. "I know it's hard to trust him again after what he's done, but you don't have to, not right away, I don't expect you to become best friends or anything, acting as if nothing ever happened. I just hope you can offer him a second chance at least, no forgiveness required. I know interacting with him directly is probably too difficult, but maybe you can just observe him, see if he actually slips up like you expect him to. His charm seems compelling, but can that alone really convince the entire kingdom? I know you're not the only one chary of believing him, I was too, but there's more beneath the surface." Elsa tried to be reasonable, knowing how greatly Hans affected Anna.   
  
  
  


Anna listened. The doubt was still on her face, but she was clearly paying attention. 

"I'm trusting him enough to not be yelling at you to throw him back in the dungeons." She pointed out, still looking uncertain. "I'm willing to have the guards watch him. Just, don't make my mistakes, okay? You're the smart one, 'Else. Don't fall for the same charm your airhead sister did, I feel dumb enough for falling for it the first time." She folded her arms. It still hurt, deep down. No matter how many times she told herself he wasn't worth it, that he was a liar and a bastard, she hated herself for falling for the 'too-good-to-be-true' prince. Worse, he had claimed some of that was true, that he had wanted to be a good husband. One who couldn't love, though. What was the point of that? 

"He told me he didn't know what love was, but knew he didn't have it. Did he tell you the same thing? He said he wanted to learn how, once. I wonder if he's still trying. Maybe that's his real penance. Everyone is human, but in a way I wonder if he knows  _ how to be _ a human." She looked uncertain, unconvinced, and almost pitying of him. Not quite, but almost. She still carried that anger that made her call him useless. It was both satisfying and painful to see how he crumpled after that. She knew she shouldn't want to see someone miserable like that-- but that was what he had done to her. She would have died in the same misery cast on her, if not for Olaf. Suddenly, she felt she needed a hug. 

"I'm starting to wonder if I'm the one being a bad person, even after all he's done. Somehow I'm the one who feels like the bad guy here." She folded her arms over her chest and drew her legs up under them, pulling herself into a ball. What was it about this guy? Even when he wasn't around he was manipulating.   
  
  
  


Elsa let Anna's words sink in. She was at a loss of words with the love talk. She remembered Hans once saying he lacked love in regards to Anna and the 'true love's kiss', though she assumed that he recognized that he wasn't in love and not that he was incapable of feeling (any) love. Though Elsa couldn't say she understood love much herself, she only knew the love she felt for her family and her kingdom, but anything else was a complete mystery to her. So much for a relaxing sisterly bonding time. Elsa imagined that Anna would get upset, but she'd never would have guessed it would have been like this. If anyone was the bad guy here, Elsa felt it was her, for unnecessarily hurting her sister yet again. She wanted to wrap her hands around her and comfort her, but started off by gently touching her shoulders. She leaned down to look at her. 

"What? No! Hey, please don't think like that, no one is the bad guy here, and especially not you. You have every right to be doubtful of Hans, and maybe I'm being a bad big sister trying to push you into doing something you're not yet ready to do and I'm sorry, I'll stop, I promise."   
  
  
  


Anna leaned on Elsa just the same. "No, maybe it's not a bad thing that you're trying to be forgiving. And maybe it's also not bad that I'm not." She assured her. Middle ground and grey area. That was something neither of them was good at, but she was starting to learn it from Kristoff. She always loved warm gestures from Elsa, especially hugs and being held. 

"Sometimes it's good to have these conversations, even if they aren't comfortable. Right?" She hummed. It wasn't easy, but it was good. She felt a little better, knowing her sister was being sensible, and that at least now they could compare notes on Hans' behavior. Though, she noticed Elsa didn't say what he had told her, if anything. Maybe that was news to her? It was hard to say. Hans seemed to have a different personality for everyone he met.   
  
  
  


Elsa shifted to embrace Anna around her shoulders bringing her face close to hers, so both their cheeks were touching. "I guess so, it does feel better talking about it than keeping it all bottled up inside, though I really hate upsetting you," she admitted, gently snuggling her warm cheek against Anna's.   
  
  


"Sometimes we need to be upset to solve things, maybe." Anna proposed. She wasn't sure if that was true, but it felt like something Kristoff would say, even if he never had. One of those funny things that didn't sound like it made sense, but somehow kinda did. 

"So, anything else we wanna get off our chests or do we have some actual sister fun instead?" She proposed with a little smile. Cuddles worked just fine for her, she never got enough, and Elsa being this close was rare indeed. "Maybe it's good that he's here. Maybe we'll learn something important. He helped stop the raid, after all." Anna wouldn't deny that, at least. Hans was a good sword hand when they needed it, and he didn't act against them when he had the opportunity-- not just the opportunity, but the advantage. If he had wanted Elsa dead, that would have been an ideal time to turn the tides and win favor for the Southern Isles and Weselton. At least some of what he was doing had to be genuine, then.   
  
  
  


Elsa shrugged a little. "Nothing else I can think of, unless there's something you wish to tell me, if not I would love to finally get our fun sister time started for real," Elsa answered, her eyes closed and tightening her squeeze around Anna a bit. She loved being able to hold her little sister, feel her warmth, she didn't always have the chance cuddle as much as she would have liked, and she often forgot how good it actually felt to hold another person until she had them once again in her grasp. Elsa opened her eyes and smiled a bit when she heard Anna speak kinder words about Hans. She was glad that she didn't actually believe he was completely useless. It would probably take some time for her to accept him completely, but at least she was coming around ever so slightly and that was good enough for her. "Indeed," Elsa agreed with a light nod.   
  
  
  


"I'd be happy to just cuddle for hours." She hummed. They never seemed to have enough time. "Should we paint our nails or something?" She laughed a little. Why not? Something fun that would encourage them to spend time together.    
  
  
  
"Mhmm," Elsa hummed in agreement. "Doing something like that might be fun, but why stop there? What about building a pillow fort and doing each other's hair?" Elsa suggested with a laugh. It sounded childish, yes, but the two of them did miss out on a lot of their childhood, and there was nothing wrong with them having a little fun and making up for lost time now. They rarely got the chance to spend quality time together so why not indulge a little, with simple pleasures?   
  
  
  
Anna wiggled a little in place. "Ooh!! Yes!! Let's do all the things we never got to!" She agreed, giggling. "Should I get the pillows and blankets, or the hair supplies and polish?" 

"Yes!" Elsa said with a big grin on her face. "I can go rummage around for some blankets and pillows." Elsa volunteered for blanket and pillow duty because they were going to require many to make the most magnificent fort imaginable and no one could deny the Queen, if she decided to borrow a few from some of the rooms for a bit, she'd return the items promptly before bed time.   
  
  
  
Anna wiggled until the force of her wiggles moved her out of her seat.

"Excellent! I'll go get all the other stuff! And send for tea!" She chirped, and in a bouncing flutter she was off, excited to go get things and spend time with her sister.

Elsa was off too, expeditiously gathering blankets and pillows from nearby chambers and taking them back to the parlor. On her last trip to and fro, she stopped by Hans' room, Hans was still absent, surely he won't mind if she borrowed the pillow he was currently not utilizing. She left a note, just in case, so he wouldn't be puzzled to discover his pillow missing upon his return.   
  


> Pardon me taking your pillow.
> 
> It's required for a pressing matter.
> 
> I'll return it as soon as possible, Promise.
> 
> -Elsa   
>    
> 

Did she really need to take Hans' pillow? Not really. She had plenty and could make do without it. But, did she want an easy excuse to come check on him later (whether she liked to admit it or not)? Absolutely. 

Shortly after, Elsa returned to the parlor with her last plunder of pillows.

"Okay, I think this is enough pillows to make the greatest pillow fort in all of Arendelle!" She proudly proclaimed to Anna who'd been waiting for Elsa to finish her scavenger hunt in order to start the fun.   
  
  
  
Anna giggled and cheered. 

"Yes!!" She chirped, throwing her hands up. "It's so good to see you having fun, and to just, do girly things together!" She wiggled excitedly. Pillow fort first. Then nails and hair. The tea was brought in and set aside. Tea with lots of sweets, of course. Anna's addition. What was tea without sweets?   
  
  


Elsa was glad to be making a happy memory with Anna, memories they would have likely shared already, had it not been for their unfortunate separation. She knew it was unfitting for a Queen, such as herself, to be acting so childish, but she didn't care, if it meant she could share a blissful moment with her beloved sister. 

They had completely rearranged all furniture in the parlor, placing it all in the center of the room using it as the fort's foundation. With Elsa's architectural prowess and Anna's ingenuity, the two girls managed to create a beautiful spacious pillow fort, where they could both comfortably relax inside, in no time. 

Anna had painted Elsa's nails crimson red, and brushed out her platinum blonde hair as they waited for the paint to dry. Currently the roles were reversed with Elsa gently brushing her sister's strawberry blonde hair as Anna's nails dried.

"This is nice," commented Elsa as she continued to untangle Anna's hair. "I wish we could have been able to do this when we were younger." She let out a slight sorrowful sigh.   
  
  
  


"I wish that too. But hey, at least we had plenty of time to practice for ourselves?" Anna teased, holding up her own brightly-painted pink nails. Anna liked saturated pinks and greens, bright spring-y colors. Anna had certainly had little else to do but perfect her nail polish. "If we didn't have time then, we'll just have to make more time nowadays." She suggested brightly, smiling insistently. There was no reason they couldn't, surely? Well, aside from the whole war with Weselton, but that seemed like something the Isles would handle.   
  
  
  


Anna's tease had made Elsa laugh a little. Anna was right though, even with all of her Queenly duties, Elsa should always be able to have time to share with her sister. 

"You know what? Your right, sisterly leisure time is important. Especially knowing how precious it is to spend quality time with one another. We should try to start making this part of our weekly routine. I could find a way to set aside some time just to spend with you, so we can do future fun activities together. It would be a good way to help alleviate some of the strain from all my duties. We could even try something different every week, something we never got the chance to before," she proposed a bit excitedly at the prospect. Even Queen's deserved to take pleasant breaks to keep them sane. Family was also important and finding a way to better balance between her responsibilities and the ones she loved was something that had to be done.

  
  
"I love it! And, we can take some time in the winter to build a snowman. The old-fashioned way." She suggested with a little laugh. "Or something bigger and better. A snow-fort?" She hummed. Something with their hands, not lots of magic, just to do it for themselves and wear themselves out pushing a bunch of snow around. Maybe they were acting like children, but, so what? Everyone deserved to act childish now and then.   
  
  
  


"Of course! And afterwards we can have a snowball fight," Elsa giggled. Hopeful thinking of the future was quite comforting. "Though we might be getting ahead of ourselves thinking about winter already when we have yet to reach summer. Which reminds me that a certain someone's birthday is coming up real soon. Do you have any idea what they would like this year?"

  
  
"Oh!" Anna giggled. She hadn't really thought about it-- or rather, it was really hard to think of things when someone asked about birthday presents. "Maybe some new games we can play? Games that aren't charades." She giggled a little. "Or... things that would help me get ready to be more... woodsy? I don't know what being married to Kristoff would be like, if he ever gets around to proposing, but you know... I'd like to show him I'm trying." She offered with a smile and a shrug. She really did care about him, and if he was going to invite her to his home-- well, she'd like to be a little more prepared for maybe, possibly, someday living there.   
  
  
  


"I'll definitely keep that in mind." Elsa smiled and nodded. Something to help be more woodsy, huh? Elsa pondered a bit as she continued to stroke Anna's hair. Maybe getting a new outfit would be an ideal gift, one that was less restrictive than the dresses she commonly wore around the castle, something more suitable for the outdoors. Yeah, that sounded like a perfect gift, but she needed to look into getting it made right away, if she wanted it to be ready by Anna's birthday. 

"All done," Elsa stated as she finished her last pulling of the brush along Anna's hair one last time. " Would like to take a break to drink tea and eat some sweets before deciding what we're going to do with our hair?"   


"Sure!" Anna hummed. "Maybe you should leave yours down? It's such a pretty color and you look so relaxed with it down." She pointed out sweetly. 

"I mean, maybe not in the morning, but it's not like you have more meetings to do tonight, right?" She had no idea that Elsa was planning to visit Hans.   
  
  
  


Elsa blushed slightly at her sister's compliment as well the idea of keeping her hair down for the rest of the night. 

"Yeah, no more meetings tonight." No official meetings at least and dropping by Hans' room to return his pillow was more like a brief visit than a meeting, anyway, right? She'd be in and out in a flash. "I suppose I can keep it down for the night," she said shyly. If she'd ask Anna to do her hair she'd ask why and Elsa didn't want to ruin the good time they were having by bringing up Hans once again.   
  
  
  
"Yay! I could do it tomorrow morning too. I know you can do your own, but it's just nice to do those things." Anna hummed. She didn't mind braids or no braids, but she  _ did _ think that Elsa's hair was beautiful, especially down. It must have been the ice magic, her platinum blonde hair was unique in the family. Silvery and beautiful, like the rest of her. Not that Anna was jealous per se. She was jealous of Elsa's poise (in a fond little-sister-looking-up-to-her-big-sister way), but she knew Elsa was beautiful,  _ she _ was cute. Kristoff loved her, not Elsa, so Anna was pretty happy with her lot. Still, she could admit the difference. Anyway her hair wasn't too bad either (when it behaved).   
  
  
  
"Well, if you manage to wake up as early as I do, you're welcome to do my hair, I know how much you love sleeping in," Elsa teased as she shifted to bring the tray with the tea set and treats closer to them. Once in her reach, she set out the tea cups for Anna and herself and began pouring the tea gracefully.   


"Uuugh, I guess I'll just have to braid your hair tomorrow night before bed, then." She suggested, sticking her tongue out playfully, but smiling. Any time she could spend with Elsa was a good time. Even if they sometimes had to talk about Hans.


	20. Boys' Night

While the sisters had a lovely tea party inside their pillow fort, the boys’ night out was continuing to be unsurprisingly uneventful. Kristoff had finished brushing Sven a while ago, and now the boys were stuck roaming around the courtyard, encircling it for what seemed like the millionth time. Olaf got bored fairly easily, so of course he tried to nullify his boredom himself the only way he knew how, by talking, practically non-stop, barely letting Kristoff get a word in edgewise. Olaf's virtually self-supporting conversation consisted of him rambling stories, spontaneously jumping into song, and (the part that actually required Kristoff to be present to answer them) curious questions. 

"...magic, so I guess Elsa's like my mom, but kids seem to have both a  _ mom _ and a  _ dad _ , and they don't have magic --at least I don't think they do-- so it's got me thinking, how do people make babies without magic?" Olaf wondered curiously, it one of the countless questions he had asked that night.

  
  


Kristoff had always been a good listener, so he didn't mind the rambling. They could possibly have done other things, but Kristoff was at least vaguely aware of Hans' whereabouts and wanted to be sure he was nearby in case he was needed. He wasn't oblivious to boredom per se-- just too focused on everything else to process it. 

He just about choked when he tuned in to Olaf's question. He certainly made a sound like it, but he cleared his throat. 

"Why is this not the first time I've been asked that?" He asked, more to himself and his gods than anything. "It involves complex biology and is way more gross than you'd want it to be..." He started.

"Oh look, we have company!" He changed the subject quickly and pointed out Hans and the Captain wandering home. In spite of the drinking, Hans seemed little more wobbly than he already had been with his injury. 

"Ahoy Admiral!" Kristoff called, just to draw attention and avoid the question from Olaf. 

"View Hallou!" Hans replied, curious what he was being hailed for. "The night is young and we are getting older." Hans joked dryly to the Captain, wandering to meet Kristoff and the party. "Well if it isn't the little snow-prince and the Arendelle royal cavalry. Good evening gentlemen. And I am counting the reindeer." He gave a respectful greeting gesture to all of them, perhaps especially the reindeer.

  
  
  
"I'm Sven," he introduced. He should at least be known by his name instead of just being 'the reindeer'. 

"Oh! Hans the Fool!" Olaf greeted, now completely sidetracked from the question he'd asked earlier. "Are you having a night out, as well?"   
  
  
  
Hans raised an eyebrow at Kristoff, more amused than perplexed, though there was plenty of that. 

"I am, little prince. Getting to know the Captain. It appears I'll be helping the Royal Guard with my sword. I'm a little more than a fool, I must admit. Shall we have the remains of a night out together? Telling stories and whatnot?" Hans' tone was always lighter and sweeter with Olaf, as anyone might be while working with children. Especially a fool.   
  
  
  


Olaf's face brightened with glee at the notion of having Hans join them.

"Yes! Let's do that!" Olaf exclaimed with excitement. He really did appreciate Hans' company, no offense to Kristoff and Sven, but having someone else that shared his enthusiasm, overjoyed Olaf. 

"If that's what you wish to do."

"Good Evening," saluted the Captain, as he approached the group. "I see Westergaard's already inviting himself to join your party," he chuckled, already accustomed to his antics. "Is it alright to leave him in your hands?" He attentively asked Kristoff, almost as if he was watching over a puppy or a small child, instead of a grown man, a slightly drunken man, sure, but still. The Captain thought he should ask, Hans felt like he was his responsibility and he didn't impose anyone with that duty without their consent.   
  
  
  


"Not going to join us, Captain? Just handing over Gaoler duty?" Hans joked dryly. He honestly meant it as a joke, but perhaps it did speak to his self-image. 

"We'll be fine, Captain. In spite of Anna's wariness, I'm pretty sure I can handle this driftwood log, and if he gives me trouble, I can always pitch him back out to sea." Kristoff joked, nudging Hans with his foot. 

"Oho, the Reindeer Lord has jokes. One of us is the Queen's fool, be careful who you challenge." Hans joked in return. He truly wore that stupid made-up title with pride. But then, Kristoff had his own made-up title, perhaps it was only fair.   
  
  
  


"Hate to be an old fogey, but I'm afraid I've had enough excitement for one night, all I want to do now is get as much rest as I can to try to avoid having a headache in the morning," he said as he yawned. "I think my ears are still ringing from all that singing," the Captain twisted his pinky in his ear as if trying to dislodge something. "Keeping up with you isn't easy, you've completely drained me, boy. I need to hand over the reins and have someone else keep a watchful eye on you, just because of your capriciousness, and for your own well-being. Wouldn't want to find you floating in the fountain in the morning. I lost track of everything that happened tonight at the tavern, but if I recall correctly, I'm sure at one point you suggested doing a balancing act on a chair." 

"Oh, I've seen him do that once," Olaf interposed. 

"Of course, you've done it before, why am I not surprised?" The captain said with a disapproving head shake as he brought a hand up to his face. He let out a sigh. "Anyway, thank you for keeping tabs on him Lord Kristoff," he gave a nod in appreciation. "Fair warning though, his mood seems to be as fickle as the sea."   
  
  
  


Hans laughed. "You flatter me, captain. And you need more practice at drinking if you plan to keep up with me. I was still sober at that suggestion." Hans grinned wryly. "And at the singing. I just like singing." He hummed. "Sleep, old man. See you in the morning, we'll try to keep tomorrow quiet then, hm?" Hans thumped the Captain on the shoulder, as good mates do. 

"What else would we expect? Fickle moods seem to be all we know of him for sure." Kristoff pointed out. But he smiled and shook his head a little. "Tag me in next time, we'll see how I do at holding my drinks against a sea captain."   
  
  
  


"I'd say bragging about your sobriety when acting like you were isn't something you should be proud of boy, but you already dub yourself a fool," he chuckled. "Indeed. Next time you're welcome to put him in his place," the Captain affirmed with a nod. "Goodnight gentleman, hope you enjoy the rest of your night-- and you don't cause too much trouble," he nudged Hans back. 

"I'm off to bed. I bid you all adieu." After one more reverence, the Captain took his leave.

"Can I go to the drinking party next time too?" Olaf childishly asked. He wasn't aware of the alcohol involved, instead he was envisioning some sort of manly tea party. "It sounds like fun!"   
  
  
  


Hans laughed a little. "Maybe when you're much older, little prince." He teased. "The men say things we oughtn't say around younger folks, and act more like fools than we ever should." He observed. "But what the captain doesn't know is, a fool is wiser than he seems, and a wise man more foolish than wise men ever think. The wisest man is the one who takes himself for a fool, even around fools." Hans smiled a little, playing wordplay games. He always liked puns and wordplay. 

"This is like that riddle, 'the wisest man is he who understands that he understands nothing'." Kristoff hummed. "Hans likes to say silly things, and worse, sometimes I imagine he says things that get him into trouble." Kristoff observed. 

"Aye, and out of it. More often out than in, but when in, then in big." He observed. It was a statement one really had to track to understand, but that seemed like the theme. Drunken philosophy night with the strangest assortment of characters around. "So, what are we all wandering about for?" Hans hummed. 

"The ladies are having a girls’ night, so I was on patrol to keep an eye out that you weren't up to trouble." Kristoff answered honestly. 

"What a good guard you are. You've certainly done that job." Hans hummed. 

"Out drinking with the Captain of the Guard? I bet that was a wild night." 

"Cards, drinks, and encouraging positive feelings toward myself. It's so easy, as if my last visit to Arendelle never happened. Anna is thus far the most sensible person I've seen." Hans admitted, a bit more soberly. 

"You're not upset?" 

"Oh, deeply. But that's sort of the point, isn't it." Hans didn't seem too bothered, just logical.   
  
  
  


"Aw," Olaf groaned when he was denied his request to partake in the future fun only because he was deemed 'too young'. People kept telling him, 'when you're older Olaf', but when was that going to happen? He was a walking talking snowman, not an actual child though he was very much one in essence. Olaf tried to follow Hans and Kristoff's conversation, but got a bit lost in their philosophical talk.    
  
  
  
Hans smiled a little at Olaf. "Just as well, I don't think it would appeal as much to you, yet. Not really. In much the same way that politics only makes sense and isn't boring when you get older, it likely wouldn't be quite the same for you as for us." He assured him. He almost instinctively patted Olaf's head, perhaps forgetting that he was made of ice and snow.

"You two seem chummy." Kristoff remarked, amused. 

"Of course. He's kept me company while I've been unable to walk around and chatter quite so much. I don't talk very much at home, it's good to be here and be able to say the things I think. Oh, Olaf, did you ever figure out what the meaning of my story was, that day of the raid? I suppose I never finished it. Predictable, but the best stories are the ones that take what you know and turn it upside-down. Like an hourglass, it renews the story." He may not have been drunk, but Hans certainly wasn't sober either. He was prone enough to meander (both in words and walk) while sober, and drinking only exacerbated it as he wandered off toward grass, just to walk on something more natural than cobble. Hans loved adventure, even if it was only venturing off the cobblestones.   
  
  
  


Olaf laughed a little at being patted on the head. "Hmm...the meaning of the story?" he pondered. "I think it means that even the Mirror Prince had his own side to the story," answered the little snowman. It was obvious even to him what story Hans had been trying to tell him that day. "You know, I have my own retelling of that story too and so does Sven, don't you Sven?"   
  
  
  


"Oh, I would wager you do." Hans agreed, sounding intrigued. "So you've figured out that I'm not just Hans the Fool, then?" He hummed, with a little smile. "I keep picking up titles these days, sooner or later I won't know what to do with them all. I wonder if they can be recycled. Someone else can be a prince, I'll keep Fool and Admiral and let the others slide." He joked, all lighthearted for the moment-- perhaps purely because Olaf was there. 

"Do pray tell, tell your version of the story? You can be quite a storyteller all your own." Hans remarked, his tone light and sweet. Kristoff wondered if that was what he was always like with children-- as Hans seemed under the firm delusion that Olaf was more of a strange child than a 'snowman given life through strange ice magic'. Kristoff supposed that was the better way to view things. Would he be like that with his own children? If Hans ever chose to have any, anyway. That would be its own pot of problems when they got there. Kristoff was glad that wasn't his problem-- but lately he had been thinking a lot more about families and family life. One could hardly blame him for thinking about the way Hans thought. Especially since he seemed to show a different face for every combination of company he might keep. Sometimes it seemed to change by the moment.   
  
  
  


"Oh, yeah, everybody wouldn't be making such a fuss about you if you were just a fool, but I do prefer Hans the Fool," he giggled. The young snowman's face lit up at the invitation to share his account of the day he was created and the events that followed. 

"Okay, be prepared, I'm going to start from the beginning, well, my beginning since I wasn't there for the rest of it. This story starts up on the North Mountain where Elsa created me using her magic..." Olaf was very thorough in the retelling of his story. He told Hans how Anna, Kristoff and Sven freaked out similarly (or even more so) than he did when they first met him as well. He went into detail about everything (even the unimportant stuff) from how he got his nose, his love for warm hugs, mistaking Kristoff for Sven and of course his love for summer. Olaf continued his explanation about how he led his new friends up the North Mountain to find Elsa to bring back summer. Of course he couldn't gloss over he got impaled. And trivial facts like how he waited for exactly one minute before he joined Anna to talk to Elsa at the Ice Palace. How Elsa herself was also a bit shocked that she'd brought him to life. He described the sisters' interaction after Elsa stuck Anna and how they got kicked out by Marshmallow, only to have Anna aggravate him shortly after. He couldn't leave out how he bravely volunteered to distract and hold Marshmallow back to no avail and that they all ultimately fell off the cliff. Olaf didn't skip out on any of the awkwardness. He went on to talk about how they all ventured to Kristoff's 'Love Experts', and how he thought Kristoff was totally crazy talking to rocks he called his family until they revealed themselves to be trolls. Also that he figured out his name was Kristoff not Sven. Olaf relayed the full extent of their visit with the trolls, attempted wedding and all and how they went to go find Hans (for a kiss) after they were told that 'only true love thaw a frozen heart'.   
  


He explained how he ended up getting separated from the group and that he was the one that had found Anna locked up after Hans abandoned her. Olaf recounted how he almost melted trying to warm Anna up. He was quite proud of his 'Love Expert' advice that made Anna realize that Kristoff really cared for her. Then it was on to how the two of them managed to escape a freezing castle through a window and make it to the fjord. Olaf had gotten blown away by the storm and so the next thing he witnessed was Elsa embracing a frozen Anna on the fjord. Olaf expressed how devastating it was to think they lost Anna forever, but was happy when he was first to notice that Anna had in fact been saved, her frozen heart thawed by an act of true love different than the one they all had envisioned and that none of them had expected. He conveyed how delighted he was at the return of the summer once Elsa was able to control her powers, even though the sun had promptly begun to melt him, but thankfully Elsa kept him from melting. That was practically the end of his story about the events he'd observed, because after that he had been too distracted and overjoyed, by his own personal flurry that allowed him to enjoy summer, to pay attention to everything else that was going around him, like Hans getting punched in the face by Anna. The little snowman was very animated with his explanation, transforming himself and acting out the parts as he went along, he was a very theatrical storyteller even more so than Hans. 

"...and that's the story of how I spent my first day of life."   
  
  
  


Hans laughed through much of it, amused by Olaf's transformations and animated behavior, and all of his excitement. 

"You lived quite an adventurous life, and all in one day! Many people would be jealous, and I would venture to say you have lived the most adventurous life of any snowman. I wonder if Marshmallow would say the same? I very much remember Marshmallow, nearly killed me on the ice bridge, but what an adventure that was!" Hans hummed. He seemed quite fond of Olaf, and only more so with time. 

"You remind me of someone, somehow, but I'm not quite sure..."    
  


"Yourself." Kristoff proposed.   
  


"How, exactly? We're not exactly alike." Hans pointed out. 

"You both laugh in the face of death, love jokes and stories, change to adapt to your environment, and everyone underestimates what you're thinking." Kristoff gestured to both of them.

"...Well perhaps, but there's no need to insult him." Hans scoffed, tone a little flatter. 

"Oh shut up, I bet he's what you  _ would _ have been like if you were raised in a happy family, without whatever screwed you up." Kristoff wouldn't let Hans deflect this one. And granted, perhaps Hans would have been a little annoying. Most children were. Olaf truly was just a child. 

"Hm. That may be so, but for once I don't find much merit in exploring hypotheticals. I can't imagine that alternative history. I'll have to just enjoy the one we're in, instead." His tone was perhaps a little less pleasant. If anything, he seemed a little more protective of Olaf, after that. He didn't want anyone to think they were like him. He was one of the disappointments, a prince turned treasoner and fool. He was not an example to follow.   
  
  
  


"Ah, yes, an adventure of a lifetime, those were the days. My, how time flies." Olaf said in an almost reminiscent tone. "I don't know if Marshmallow would say the same, he's not much of a talker. But what I can say for him is that sure  _ mellowed _ out since the last time," Olaf laughed at his own joke.   
  
  
  


"You both love wordplay..." Kristoff added, amused, as Hans laughed at Olaf's joke. Hans was probably the  _ only _ one who would laugh at that joke. 

"Your lifetime is only just beginning! You also lived through the assault on the castle, remember, there's plenty of adventuring time left." Hans assured, then he brightened up more. "Ah! I'm out of the castle, I can visit my horse in the stables! Would you all mind if we went? I haven't seen him in... probably a month? I'm not sure how long, now. Two?" He turned to go that way without waiting. Whether Kristoff wanted him to go or not, Hans wanted to see his horse. Kristoff shrugged and moved to follow. He was planning to end the night there anyway, and may as well let the man see his buddy.   
  
  
  


"Oh! You have a horse? Is it a boy or a girl? What's it's name? Do you talk to them like Kristoff does to Sven," Olaf asked an abundant amount of questions as they headed back towards the stables.   
  
  
  


Hans chuckled. "It's a boy, his name is Sitron. I talk to him, but he doesn't talk back." Hans assured with a little laugh. When he made it there, he jogged toward the horse, ignoring the pain in his side. Sitron seemed happy to see him, too, making happy sounds and tossing his mane. Hans threw his arms around his horse's neck and petted him. He was deeply fond of his horse, and they clearly missed each-other. Once again, it was easy to forget he was a prince, once. Now he was a man who had little but a mixed reputation, and a horse. A horse he was very glad to see again. 

"Hello you, I'll have to go riding again soon, they haven't been giving you enough exercise, hm?" He cooed to the horse, petting its nose. "I never thought I was going to see you again." While he kept his tone relatively neutral, it was just because there were people around. He had deeply missed his horse. He had few other friends.   
  
  
  


Sitron was indeed ecstatic to see Hans again, it had been far too long that they were about. He gently trotted with excitement at the notion of being ridden again. His tail was raised in excitement and his ears were facing forward in full attention. Of course he had to sniff and nuzzle Hans with his nose. There was no doubt Fjord Horse had deeply missed his friend as well. 

"Oh, so that's Sitron, handsome horse, I was wondering where he'd come from, looks like he really missed you," smiled the little snowman. "Maybe you should groom him," he suggested, seeing that Kristoff had brushed Sven to start off the night and the reindeer seemed to enjoy it, so. "I know Sven likes it a lot when Kristoff does that to him."   
  
  
  


"You know, I was thinking that myself." Hans agreed, immediately rolling up his sleeves and looking for the supplies to groom. Kristoff handed some over so Hans wouldn't have to think about it, and Hans happily took to tending to the horse as if he did that all the time. Maybe he had been a prince, but he had been a prince who wanted to be useful. "Ah, the lemon's turning into a lemon cake. You need to exercise." Hans teased, patting his horse's side to indicate that the horse was getting a little chubby. Still, he was glad his horse was being overfed, rather than  _ underfed. _ He was the horse of a treasonist, after all. "Are they taking good care of you? You look well-groomed at least. No parade horse, but there's no neglect in Her Majesty's stables." Hans observed, more muttering at the horse than really talking to him as he groomed.   
  
  


Sitron whinnied to show he was content. He was being treated well of course but he sure did miss going out for rides instead of being cooped up in his stall most the day. 

"Did you name him yourself or was he named that when you got him?" Wondered the curious snowman. "He doesn't look like a sour horse to me," he commented since he didn't understand why he was named after a lemon.   
  
  
  


Hans chuckled. "I did, I was a boy and boys do silly things. He's got a slightly yellow-y tint and it reminded me of lemon meringue, especially with his mane." He hummed. "Certainly not a sourpuss, Sitron has been my friend for years. Sometimes the only one I felt like I could talk to, since he can't talk about whatever I tell him. Secrets are a resource in my homeland, they're hard to keep and valuable for it. No matter how mild, it seems it can be a danger. So if I only told my horse, I never had to fear it getting to anyone else. And what does a horse care what I have to say? He's a horse. He cares that I feed him, groom him, ride him, and make sure his shoes are on right." Of course, the stable hands handled the shoes in Arendelle. Not that he would usually shoe a horse, but he liked to at least make sure they were taken care of.   
  
  


"Your homeland sounds like an awful place if you can't talk to anyone but your horse," remarked Olaf. "No offense to you lemon meringue, I'm sure you're a great listener."   
  
  
  


"It is." Hans assured, nonchalantly. "Our family and staff have a lot of petty squabbles and teasing that tends to go... overboard. I'm the youngest, I get a lot more trouble than the rest. That's why I left for anywhere else. The sea is a great big 'anywhere else' to me. When I couldn't sail, I rode. As far as possible, somewhere as wild as possible. Often to a beach or a shore, sometimes to explore some forest. A horse makes for a fine friend, but it does lead to much less conversation." Hans admitted, focusing on his grooming. Sitron didn't seem offended, it was the truth.   
  
  
  


"You and Kristoff are a lot alike when it comes to finding fine friends in animals, yet Sven does seem to converse more than Sitron. But then again Kristoff isn't much of a conversationalist when it comes to people, I've heard him sing that he thinks 'reindeer are better than people' when playing his lute," mentioned the childish snowman. "I think it's because he was raised by rock trolls," he tried whispering the last part.   
  
  
  


"Aye, you could say that." Kristoff admitted, amused as he folded his arms and looked down at Olaf with a raised eyebrow.

Hans laughed a little. 

"Maybe he's not wrong. A reindeer never committed a coup." He pointed out lightly. "Everything's a matter of perspective, I think. Perhaps the rock trolls have a better perspective." He paused a bit. "Did I know about the rock trolls? I think I didn't. That's weird. But not the weirdest thing I've seen, I hope one day to meet them, then. If only to say I've done it." He hummed a little bit at that. He liked experiences for the sake of them. Who needed reasons to see or do something new?   
  
  
  


"You should definitely meet them, the rock trolls are fun, very nice, wise and they really like telling embarrassing stories about Kristoff," Olaf said, completely ignoring the look Kristoff gave him. 

"Maybe they'll do the fixer upper thing with you and Elsa, it looked like a lot of fun," he said, not really aware that it had resulted in the trolls attempting to wed Kristoff and Anna last time or was he? It was hard to tell will Olaf sometimes.    
  
  
  


Hans looked curious, and chuckled a little. 

"Afraid I'm not a big fan of embarrassing stories from family." He admitted. "Too familiar with that bitter pill, myself. I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but, it's probably for the best if we don't. I'm the Queen's fool, but I won't flatter myself to think we'll be spending much time together." He waved the thought aside, with a horse brush in-hand. Kristoff gave Olaf a curious look, wondering if Olaf was thinking the same thing he was about  _ that. _ Olaf could be dim sometimes, but he -like Anna- had a habit of hitting upon the important things without knowing it.   
  
  
  


For the first time in forever Olaf was uncharacteristically taciturn. 

"Oh," he voiced in a slightly dispirited tone. He looked up at Kristoff a bit bemused.   
  
  
  


Kristoff held the silence for a moment, a slow smirk showing up, identical to the one he wore when he wanted to tell Olaf all about how snow melts in the heat, but Anna stopped him. 

"Flatter yourself, idiot." Kristoff shifted over to swat Hans playfully on the back of the head. Hans ducked, perhaps a little more than he needed to, receiving some small amount of the swat anyway. 

_ "Excuse _ me?" He seemed uncertain whether he should be offended, or amused, but he looked a little more defensive either way. 

"You think she visits just to make sure your wounds don't rot? That's what doctors are for. Anna may not like you, but Elsa does, at least as a friend. You might hate yourself, but you're the only one. And maybe Anna, but she'll forgive in time, if I know her at all. I won't tell you to get over it, but at least get the picture; you're staying in the castle, you're going to see the Queen plenty. Still, probably best you don't see my folks and her at the same time, they're likely to marry you both." Kristoff joked dryly. 

Hans laughed, a somewhat nervous laugh. But he didn't know how to respond, so he focused on brushing Sitron, instead. 

"Let's talk about something else." He was quick to press the conversation away. Even if it was awkward, he would sooner hold an awkward silence than think about what Anna thought of him, or acknowledge that the Queen might like him. Somehow, both were painful.

  
  
  
Maybe the awkwardness now was karma for what happened earlier at the tavern. Kristoff had brought a wide smile back to the young snowman's face. 

"You sure are a strange fellow," Olaf commented. Countless people would love to be in Elsa's good graces (especially since she still wasn't the most open person), but Hans seemed to think it was a bad thing, maybe he thought he didn't deserve that kind of attention, Olaf didn't quite understand and thought the former Prince was being silly, the title of Fool suit him quite well. He wasn't going to press him any further he saw Hans didn't seem too happy about the topic and Olaf preferred smiles to scowls. Of course Olaf couldn't bear the silence for too long, so he tried breaking it. He was an expert on changing the subject and going on random tangents. He didn't wish for Hans to stay silent, it just didn't feel right to him. 

"Hey, Sven," he began "What do you call a reindeer with no eyes?" Olaf paused for a moment and Sven grunted. "What? You really don't know? I was only asking you cause you're a reindeer and I have  _ no eye deer _ ." He resorted to telling jokes, it was second nature to him. He’d much rather hear laughter than nothing at all.   
  
  
  


Hans laughed quite suddenly at that joke, and rested his free hand on his face while he recovered from that one. 

"Oh! That was a genuinely good one! it has layers." He did so love wordplay and puns. 

"Honestly, he has  _ snow idea _ how to tell a good joke." Kristoff proposed. He liked Olaf's tactic. It worked a lot better. 

"Snow thanks, Ice see what you're doing here." Hans retorted. They were probably going to be doing that a while.    
  
  
  


And that they did. Once you start wordplay especially with people that are willing to continue it's a bit hard to stop. There were lots of snow and ice puns, of course, those were the easiest to make, as well as horse and reindeer ones, but the best kind of wordplay was undeniably the one that used their names.

"I gotta  _ Hans _ it to you, Sitron is looking more  _ Hansome _ now that you brushed him," Olaf declared with a giggle.    
  
\--

The puns continued for a long while, certainly long enough for Hans to finish tending to his horse and spending time with it. When it was finally time to leave, he gave his horse a fond farewell with reassurances that he would be back. Kristoff escorted him back to his room, just feeling as if that was now his duty, since the Captain of the Guard was gone-- and also he was the most sober one there (both of mind and body). 

  
By the time Elsa would have come to check on Hans, much later in the evening than she probably intended (because Girl Talk and catching up was simply too riveting), Hans had already decided to sleep, with an arm over his eyes and a leg hanging off the bed. Some people when they slept looked as if they had been laid to rest. Hans looked as if he had been  _ thrown _ to rest, and he seemed perfectly comfortable with that fact. His hair was mussed and his collar rumpled, but only from the day's activity. And of course, he smelled a bit like rum and horse. It was sometimes easy to forget that he was an admiral. But not at that moment.


	21. Nonchalant

The girls' night concluded after plenty more sisterly bonding after their tea party. The parlor which had been in a state of disarray, because of the construction of the pillow fort, was reverted back to its original state. It was put together rather quickly thanks to the help of Kristoff who had returned before bedtime like promised. Elsa was in charge of the last chore, returning the borrowed pillows and blankets, they'd offered to help her with that task, but assured them it was best if she did it herself since she knew exactly where to return the items. Elsa said she'd head to bed after finishing her errand so they all wished each other good night and were off in opposite directions. 

Elsa had returned the other items rather quickly and now she hesitantly stood outside Hans' door firmly hugging the pillow across her chest. Maybe it had been a bad idea to take his pillow in the first place. She was starting to hope that room would be vacant once again, though she knew that would likely not be the case this time. Something about having her hair down made her extra anxious (even though Anna said it made her seem more relaxed), Kristoff had seen it of course, but that didn't bother her, he was already like a brother. She knew she couldn't stall forever; she had left a note after all. She held her breath as she opened the door. 

When she entered she saw the next best thing she could hope for, which was Hans already laying down in bed asleep, in a rather strange position but in bed nonetheless. The breath finally escaped her lungs in relief, one less thing to worry about she thought. Now all she had to drop off the pillow by the bedside.   
  
  


Hans was not a heavy sleeper. He had twelve brothers, he couldn't afford to be. But he was also a man of deception, so he remained still, and measured his breathing as she neared, listening. Footsteps too light to be a guard, so it had to be Elsa, only confirmed by the slight chill in the room. He opened an eye carefully, under his arm, with just enough gap to see her by. 

"I never thought I'd live to see your hair down." He murmured, before he could stop himself. Maybe he'd had more than he thought, but surely it would have worn off by then. Sleep dulling his senses, perhaps? "I suppose now I can die happy." he added, entirely as a joke. He'd already alerted her that he was awake, may as well toss subtlety out the window and make it humor instead. He was good at that. Somehow referencing his depression and making a joke all at once seemed to be sort of a trend for him.   
  
  


His voice resonating in the silence had completely startled her. She let out a yelp and before her mind could fully process his words, her body practically moved on it's own, tossing the pillow at his face out of pure reflex. 

Elsa let out a nervous laugh. 

"Oh, you're awake," her voice higher pitched than usual. "I'm so sorry!" she panically stated, realizing the pillow left her grasp. Good thing she'd thrown the pillow at him instead of ice, though it was possible the pillow was at the very least slightly frosted over.   
  
  


Hans laughed at the pillow throw, downright giggly at the sudden pillow fight.

"Well I can't say I didn't deserve that." He admitted through his fit of laughter. Maybe it was the drinking, or the evening before, but he found it easy to laugh that night. "No need to apologize, I startled you, and I should've known better. Perhaps I should be grateful you didn't hit me with a snowball." He proposed sweetly. He nonchalantly shifted down to reclaim the pillow (which had bounced off of him and flopped off the bed) and got back up to put it behind his head, though cringed a little. His wound was still a little sore. 

"Today was a lovely day on my part, I hope yours was as well." He hummed, laying back again as nonchalant as ever. If not moreso. He had never been one to sit or lay while others stood, but her being there so frequently and him being so injured so often (and the drinking didn't help here), he didn't seem to mind it this time. Or maybe it was just to illustrate to her that she wasn't a bother to him.   
  
  


Elsa's face was florid from the embarrassment of being caught by surprise, and with her mind finally settling and registering what Hans had murmured surely didn't help diminish the bloom of her cheeks. She definitely took notice that Hans seemed a bit more laid-back than usual (both figuratively and literally), but it was more than his posture that cued her in, the subtle difference of his laughter had also caught her attention. 

"Yeah, so-," she caught herself from apologizing again. "I don't know if I can say the same about my day as a whole, being busy and all, but my evening was indeed a lovely one, spending some much needed time with Anna," she affirmed with a smile. She hadn't noticed but she was fidgeting with her hair. Holding and sliding a long lock of her hair in between the first three fingers of her alternating hands in a repetitive motion. Elsa normally didn't wear her hair down so it made sense that she'd subconsciously want to touch it in one of her anxious mannerisms. "I just came by to return your pillow like promised."   
  
  


"Promised?" He hummed, seeming somewhat bewildered. "Ah, was that that scratching?" He reached behind his head and looked for whatever he had felt, before uncovering the paper. "I admit, I was tired and didn't think to care what I landed on. Rest assured, the pillow wasn't particularly missed." He assured, with an amused look. He almost seemed like a different person when he was smiling, to when he was sad. But he could change between the two so very quickly. 

"I meant what I said, you know. Your hair is beautiful when it's down. It always is, but especially when it's down." He occupied himself reading the note, then idly folding it. He seemed to be doing it to some purpose, but not really for something grand. Just a thing to play with. He didn't know why he was telling her that, but it seemed so simple now. So easy. He would undoubtedly hate himself for saying it later, but why not take the chance while he  _ didn't _ feel bad about it? 

"The Captain of the Guard and I were drinking, don't pay me too much mind, I'm sure I'll make even more a fool of myself. But I suppose that's my official title these days." He hummed. He finished toying with the note over the course of a few moments, and presented her with the result: A little paper frog. Not perfectly folded, a bit wrinkled from being slept on and from his own failed folds (as he only half-remembered how it was supposed to be done), but it still had a little bit of spring in its feet, and could sort of haphazardly hop when pressed down to the table (even if it might typically fall on its back). Simple and silly.   
  
  


"I-Uh...Thank you," she acknowledged rather shyly, the crimson continued to suffuse her cheeks at his repeated words of praise. So he'd been out drinking, that would explain a lot, inebriation (as well as drowsiness) were surely the reasoning behind his more mellow mood. Having a more airy Hans was far better than a somber one, even if it caused some awkwardness. She definitely wouldn't be able to easily ignore him even if it was just tipsy babbling. Elsa smiled at the paper frog, it was a cute little craft. She tried pressing down on it herself. 

"It must have been nice to finally spend some time outside, instead of being confined to this room," she said. A slight shiver crossed her body as memory of her own confinement momentarily re-emerged, she quickly shook her head and got rid of it. "Hopefully your wounds didn't give you too much trouble today." Elsa showed concern about him like always, he had regained a lot of his mobility, but he wasn't completely out of the woods just yet he still had a bit of healing to do. "It sounds like you're already getting along quite well with the Captain, that's good to hear," she commented. Hans and the Captain would have together for a while with the training regimen, it was good that they were already becoming chummy enough to warrant going out for drinks.   
  
  


"My wound hurt a little, but only because I did something stupid, as men are wont to do. I took it easy after that, rest assured. Training the men got more physical than I had intended, I think I'll try to stick to paperwork for a few more weeks, much as it pains me." He hummed. "I got to see Sitron at the stables, after drinks. I ran into Kristoff and Olaf, and Sven, and we had a fine time." He had to pause to remember the reindeer's name. "Sitron seems cared for, but he needs more riding time. If it's alright with you, I may take more time out with him." And there was the crux of it,  _ 'if it's alright with you'. _ It wasn't bars or locks keeping him where he was, but her wants.   
  
  


"Oh?" Hans' forthcoming was surprising, yes, but him willing to refrain from being stubborn and allowing himself to heal, was even more so. Maybe he finally discerned that if he was to remain patient for a little while longer, he'd be able to heal up much faster and no longer have to be shut up in his chamber for most the day. Elsa smiled at the fact that he was going to try to take it easy, for the time being, well at least as easy as Hans would allow himself to be. "Of course, I don't see why not. I'm sure Sitron misses you and he could really use the exercise," Elsa affirmed giving him a warm smile. Hans knew how to best care for him and she surely wasn't going to keep a man from his horse.   
  
  


Hans smiled a bit at that. "He did. We were both excited to see each-other. I'm afraid I distracted all of us from our outing to go see my horse, and groom him. Sitron has always been a friend to me, and I do look out for my friends and allies." He hummed. "And, whatever we are." He glanced at her, a curious look in his eyes. "I still find it difficult to discern, to be honest. I don't think of you as an enemy. I never have. But I'm not sure you would appreciate me calling you a friend, either. Especially not while Anna still hates me -as she rightfully ought to, I suppose-. If anything, hers is the most sensible reaction I've seen from me. The guards murmured a bit, but I won them over quickly. Captain Johannes told me some still have doubts and that they haven't forgotten, I'll believe it when I see it." He felt it easier to talk to her that evening. It didn't feel like it was because of the alcohol, but maybe it was. It just felt like... he wanted to talk about it. It didn't feel like a bunch of secrets, it felt like things she must have already surmised. Like friends discussing a nuisance of one's day, not dissecting his character.   
  
  


Elsa glimpsed back at him. She let a titter escape as she combed her hair atop her head with one of her fingers. "Yeah, it  _ really _ is hard to know where exactly we stand, given the odd circumstances." Elsa concurred. "You know, I was also wondering about that myself, being able to consider you a friend, I mean. I wasn't sure if I could call you that, and not because of Anna or that I don't want us to be friends, I was just uncertain," Elsa expressed and paused biting her bottom lip a bit. "Because to tell you the truth, I don't have many friends, and I don't know if I can count Anna since she's my sister, so as you can imagine I'm not very good when it comes to that sort of thing," Elsa explained. "The Ice Queen, still having trouble warming up, big surprise. Thirteen years of isolation surely didn't help in that regard,"she huffed. "Though Anna seemed to have gotten the hang of it unlike me, but then again she's always been amiable, social and striving to connect with people," she recognized. She paused once again getting lost down memory lane. 

"It's silly but, I didn't have a companion like Sitron or Sven, instead for the longest time, since I couldn't interact with Anna, I had a Sir Jorgenbjorgen, he was a little stuffed puffin doll I would talk to," she reminisced. "Had I known sooner that I had the ability to bring my creations to life, I might have tried to make myself a friend," Elsa considered, lost deeper in her thoughts. There was one last pause before she noticed. "Oh, sorry, I'm getting carried away." Elsa realized she had gotten a bit too caught up in the friend talk, maybe she was being too chatty herself, but since they were already opening up to each other, might as well just say what was on her mind, just because it felt right to do so. "Anyway, I don't know what else we could deem ourselves if not friends." She didn't address how others might feel about Hans, because it was pretty obvious how she felt herself, if she was considering him her friend.   
  
  


Hans looked up at her, with perhaps a bit of hope in his eyes. "Do get carried away more, it's easier to converse when both sides are chatty." He pointed out with a little smile. "Friends, then?" He asked, almost wary. She may have been isolated for years, but Hans was familiar with backstabbing and attempts to be perfect. Elsa may have been slow-melting ice, but Hans was more of a doe, listening for trouble and leaping away at the first movement, even if it was from a future friend. "I like that your puffin was a sir. That's cute." He hummed. "I had my journals, why wouldn't you have a doll? I had to be wary of echoes, you had to be wary of living things. I can't imagine being afraid to touch life. I suppose we were both prisoners in our bedrooms in different ways. You to hide from yourself, and protect others; me to hide from others and protect myself. At least I could wander out, most times." He seemed less than comfortable thinking about it, not quite frowning, but not looking happy. "I'm glad you can still love your castle and kingdom. I can't." He would visit home if someone was dying; but he had no further desire to. He doubted they kept his things in his room. He was only a prince in name so he could visit the dying, because they knew his father wouldn't live long. "Ah, there I go, turning grim after we were having such a lovely day before. I didn't mean to bring us down." His tone was lighter and apologetic, to make up for his gloominess. Even though it may not have been him starting the gloom, he blamed himself and his mercurial moods.   
  
  


"Yes, Friends," Elsa replied with smiling eyes. It felt good to finally have a bit more clarity on the relationship between them. "I'm sure it was my doing this time, I have a knack of turning things sour without wanting to," She assured, remembering how well the conversation with Anna went before the fun finally started. "Let's see if I can just as easily divert it back to being lovely again," Elsa affirmed, taking a moment to ponder. "Oh, I know! Aren't you the least bit curious as to know what the pressing matter that required me to borrow your pillow?" She asked. It was going to be a bit embarrassing to admit, but it got the conversation to revert back into something more pleasant. It didn't really matter.   
  
  


Hans looked up at her curiously, and grinned playfully. "Missed me that much?" He proposed, with mock flattery and a playful smile. She looked ready to go to bed, with her hair down. He had to be careful not to think too much about that all at once. "Alright, I'll bite, why borrow my pillow?" He had guesses (after all, how many reasons could there be?) but he participated for the sake of the conversation. The longer it lasted, the more time he spent in her presence, and could admire her beauty while he thought she wouldn't notice.   
  
  


She giggled a bit. Even though Hans himself was joking it technically wasn't far from the truth, she had indeed wished to see him, though she wouldn't actually admit it and she hadn't playfully denied it either. "Well, how else would we construct Arendelle's most extravagant pillow fort? " Elsa laughed followed by a sigh. "Childish I know, and most unbecoming of a Queen, but I must admit it was rather fun, doing things with Anna we never got the chance to do growing up."   
  
  


Hans smiled a little, especially in his eyes, where crow's feet would form well before any other wrinkles made themselves prominent with age. "Now if we can't spend our adulthood being childish, whatever did we grow up for?" He joked easily. "We're both rather giggly tonight. I quite like it. And I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with a penchant for childish behavior. Olaf got me to smile earlier with bad puns, and the time at the pub-- well I think the Captain thinks of me as the obnoxious young recruit more than a trainer to his troops, but he reminds me of the Captain of my ship, in spite of being much younger. I wouldn't have it any other way." He hummed. He sounded as if the day had overall been quite positive, even if -for a time- he had been quite melancholy. It seemed that was his natural state of being, and happy any time someone got him out of it.   
  
  


"It is rather nice," Elsa agreed as a grin crossed her face. The two of them sharing a moment in good spirits was very pleasant. "I may not be able to indulge in acting childish often, but I won't deny it's enjoyable to do so," she laughed a bit more, the laughter sure seemed to be contagious tonight."I'm glad you were able to have a nice night out."   
  
  


"Hmm, why not? Perhaps you simply need to take more time to be a child." He suggested, gesturing to the little paper frog he had made. "I learned to make those in Japan, then promptly forgot. With a little struggling I can get them almost like they're supposed to look. And that's one of the easy ones. Some people can make flapping birds,dogs, cats, all out of folded paper. It's a mystery to me, I guess I just don't have the mind for it. But I like the little hopping frog fold. Simple and cute."   
  
  


Elsa smiled at the frog, poking it once again. "I don't think it would make the right impression if I was regarded as 'Elsa the Childish Ice Queen of Arendelle'," she jokingly remarked with a snort. "Actually, I've already planned to make more time, I promised Anna to try doing more fun things we didn't get to do together."   
  
  


"Hmm, I try on titles and attitudes like most try shoes. Something different for any occasion, no need to let one define you. Why bother? Of course, I'm hardly the picture of mental health." He remained casual, leaning back, though he propped himself up a little more to converse with her. Maybe he just preferred there to be a power imbalance. It made him less of a threat. Especially with his sword still on the bureau. "My moods change faster than the tides, as does my personality and my behavior, if I could do anything else as fast, I'd be a much more productive human being. But it means I have the freedom to be a different person to everyone I meet, if I choose to be. I'd say it doesn't change who I am at heart, but I'm not convinced there's a layer deeper than that. I'm still a mirror, I am whatever others want or need me to be, and that's why I get all the titles. My favorite so far was Admiral, but my second-favorite is Fool. I suppose it's the only one I gave myself." He mused. He didn't really have a singular purpose to mention it, he just found it intriguing. "At any rate, you can have more time to be a child, and not be defined as childish. Even kings and queens must laugh."   
  
  


Elsa didn't care too much what people thought of her, but then again she was a Queen and a big sister, two titles she felt didn't allow freedom to be carefree, responsibility seemed to have been engraved as a part of her personality from a young age. She might have seemed serious and resolute in remaining regal, but she didn't really mind being like that, actually she preferred it, it was essentially how she was in character, she could never be abundantly energetic like Anna that was way too draining. 

"Adaptability isn't necessarily a bad attribute, sounds exhilarating having that freedom explore the infinite possibilities, instead of being set in stone." There was a part of Elsa wished she wasn't bound by the expectations (that she'd mostly placed on her own shoulders) and she could have the freedom to be that flexible. "I guess you're right, even I deserve some fun," she answered. 

Elsa then pursed her lips and pondered. 

"Do you think I'm too serious? I know I can be a bit of a stickler," she wondered. All this talk made it sound like she was normally no fun at all, and maybe that was true, she was rather duty driven. Perhaps what she was really trying to ask was what was his impression of her.   
  
  


Hans considered her question a bit. "Seriousness is a necessary evil, especially as a royal. You need to be able to be serious when the time calls for it. But we can't stop enjoying life, else there's no reason to have it. I adventure and enjoy wordplay, that's how I enjoy life. You're dutiful, but I think you're serious for work, and very human otherwise. You laugh and smile and tease. Some military men seem like they hold onto their frowns and barked orders like a man holds to a life raft. Those types of men tend not to like me, because I refuse to take them seriously." Hans smiled to himself, ever the young rogue. "People like that tend to demand respect they haven't earned with me, or expect me to follow them because I'm young. Ah, but alas, I suppose I am a follower again. My highest rank now is 'Queen's Fool'." He smiled a little to himself just the same. As far as it was from 'prince', he still had an inordinate fondness for the title. At least in part because nobody really hired fools anymore.   
  
  
  
"Very human, hm?" she repeated in a murmur. She smiled, that really was a compliment to her, since she often tended to forget that. "That's quite the title, the highest ranking Fool in the land, a very rare achievement indeed, I can see why you are quite fond of it," Elsa playfully teased.   
  
  


Hans laughed a little, smiling at her. "Well I can't think of a better kingdom to be a fool in. Careful, I might start asking for pay. Though, if I keep playing cards with the men I'm training, I might need one anyway." He laughed. "I wonder how the history books will write about me. 'The fool who trained the Queen's Guards, a failed treasoner and prince of a foreign land', I like the reverse-ordering. I'm sure they'll gloss over the admiralty, history books always seem to miss the important bits." He chuckled and shook his head. "Of course it's only by the treason I'd have made it in, anyway." He shrugged. "Glad it didn't work out, though. In spite of all my pains and injuries, I am glad life has brought me to where I am. I just wish it had taken a somewhat different path to get here."   
  
  


Elsa smiled and laughed along with him, up until the treason talk. "I'm glad you're here too," she reassured softly. "It might not have been the preferable path, but life might not have granted the same possibilities any other way."

"There're so many good things that might not have happened had we not gone down the paths we’d chosen."   
  
  


"Just so." Hans hummed. She brought him a sense of peace, even though he felt somewhat trapped there in his room. Even healed, he tended not to explore the small space. 

"Not the preferable path, indeed. If I'd have known about your powers, maybe we could have been friends. I certainly would have been a lot more careful." He thought about it a moment, then waved the thought off. "Best not to think about 'what ifs', they only lead to sadness, I find."   
  
  


He seemed to be right, the unattainable 'what ifs' did indeed only tended to bring sorrow of how things might have been. She was melancholy for a moment as she let out a sigh. Then a strange concept crossed her mind.

"That seems to be true, but what if," Elsa giggled a little at the way she started that statement. "Instead of thinking of the impossible 'what ifs' of the past, we think of the potential 'what ifs' of the present and the future." She suggested. "I think those are far less gloomy since they are still probable prospects." 

"Like what if I did officially grant you the title of fool?" That part was of course just another joke, but certainly not out of the realm of possibility.   
  
  


Hans chuckled. "Embarrassing, truly, yet charming. I imagine my family would never understand that I'd sooner be a fool in Arendelle than a prince in the Isles." He admitted idly. "Well then, what if my work here somehow encouraged the Isles to give back my titles? Then I would be a fool admiral and a fool prince. What a combination. One confusing hierarchy of titles. My mother would hate it, therefore I'm for it." He chuckled dryly.   
  
  


Elsa wasn't sure if she should ask the next question, but the 'what if' of returning titles made her curious. After a brief hesitation she decided to ask. 

"What if you were given the opportunity to sail again, would you?" She wondered, wringing her hands. Her crimson nails contrasting her porcelain skin. It was a bittersweet question even for a hypothetical, since she wouldn't want him to leave, yet she knew how much he loved the sea and adventure and was rather curious to find out if he would. She'd asked him a similar question before about why he'd returned to Arendelle instead of sailing away. She wondered if his answer would differ, given other circumstances, such as regaining his admiralty.   
  
  


He thought about it a bit. "Of course, I do love adventure; but I must return to a friendly port now and then to rest and restock and call home. I would sooner that be here than the Isles, if Arendelle would have me. I daresay the Isles has no need for me now, if I'm no longer an Admiral, and not counted in the line of succession. I have nowhere I must be but where Her Majesty assigns me." He gestured to Elsa, not toward home. His mother was Queen Consort and had no true say in the running of the government.   
  
  


His answer had put her mind at ease. Elsa smiled a bit. "But of course, if you are indeed considering yourself my fool it's only logical that Arendelle would be your home," she affirmed. It felt a little strange to call him  _ her _ fool in the possessive especially out loud, but she was in fact the Queen and he was her fool. It did embarrass her a little to have said after the fact, even if it was only meant to be playful banter.   
  
  


Hans smiled a little at the thought. He was welcomed there, even if it was only as a jester in her court. "I could always be considered the Guard Trainer or whatever official title that would be. In the Isles, we had the Swordmaster, who taught us boys to swing a sword, but that was a bit of a different job." He admitted, considering the thought.   
  
  


Oh, right his real official title, she had practically forgotten about that and it made her fluster a bit more. 

"Yes, definitely," she nodded."I'm not quite sure of the official name yet either, but we'll figure it out soon enough." She assured him. 

"Hmm, what about Combat Consultant? It has a nice ring to it, but I don't know. Do you have any other ideas?" Elsa suggested and asked him for his input. "Oh, and before I forget since we're on the topic of training. Kristoff might be the one watching over us while you're training me." She informed him.   
  
  


"Oh that does have a nice ring. 'Consultant' sounds a bit like desk work, though. There must be a term for the one who trains the guards, that isn't 'captain'. I'd hate to dethrone the captain we have, after all." He chuckled at the thought. He would  _ absolutely _ tease the Captain about it if it happened, but he thought it might make a bit of a sore spot. "Ah, we'll figure it out." He shrugged. 

"That's fine with me, Kristoff is a nice young man, dutiful and level-headed. Hell, he can join, if he likes. Give you someone to vent to when you both get tired of hearing me quote  _ 'A Treatise on The Swordsmen of the Southern Isles' _ at you. It's not a common book, probably doesn't exist outside of the Isles. If it does exist in your library I'll be surprised, but feel free to read it in advance, if you do have it. It's a written explanation of the 'implied sword-culture' of the Isles, and goes into detail about why we give up swords, what it means, all sorts of minutia you might not care about. And some things that might actually help swordplay, occasionally." He chuckled a little. It was clearly a favorite read of his. One of those books, not read for entertainment, but guidance; as a man reads a bible.   
  
  


"Yeah, we'll figure it out later,"she concurred. Elsa really didn't want to step on anyone's toes, by making Hans the new captain, so she hoped to come up with a suitable solution without having to resort to that. "Oh dear, are you going to make me regret acquiescing before we even begin?" She giggled. "I'll be sure to check the library, I doubt we have a copy, but you never know."   
  
  


He chuckled a little and shrugged. "I have a fondness for my country's 'sword culture'. It's one of the few parts of it I like. But that's mostly fluff. Cultural details that won't necessarily apply to you, though you may gain an appreciation for how and when I carry mine. It's perhaps the political equivalent of a lady's fan-language, or perhaps that's an odd English trend. I never bothered to learn whether ladies truly bother with communicating with coquettish fanning. It seems a bit silly to me. I'd say I'm more straightforward than that, but you and I both know that's a lie." He laughed dryly. He was a man who chose his words carefully, most times. Still, he seemed to be learning how to be more casual with her-- for good or ill.   
  
  


"I would actually like to try to understand that fondness, as well as the significance behind the swords, it honestly sounds like an interesting topic, besides I don't mind a history lesson," Elsa smilingly nodded. It was true, Hans seemed to take his sword culture seriously, and if it was something important to him she wanted to learn more about it to know why, believing that it might give her a better idea of who Hans was at heart. "As for fan-language I wouldn't know too much of that myself either, I never learned any of that, there was really no use for it, considering," Elsa did a quick demonstration of her magic, in the palm of her hand."Nor was I ever interested in that sort of thing, so it was for the best. I also think it's rather silly, though I'm fairly certain Anna knows how to do it, she's always liked things like that, and think I've seen her play around with a fan. Seems unnecessary complicated to me, just like a certain person I know," Elsa giggled, she was kidding of course, playing along with what he'd said before.   
  
  


"All too complicated." He agreed with a smile. "If you can get a copy of the book out here, it's a thin one, if dense. If not, I'll likely cover most of it while I teach you, anyway. Just as soon as I can do that without injuring myself." He touched his old stab wound. It hardly needed bandages, but it was still scabbed and occasionally spotted blood. It would heal soon.   
  


"I'll see if I can get my hands on one, though it might be better to just wait and hear it from you, your way with words is certainly a lot more vibrant than reading them from a book, that's for sure" she acknowledged. "Yes, please do heal up first, we wouldn't want to keep you trapped in here, because of yet another injury two is more than enough."   
  
  


Hans chuckled a little. "Much as I've managed to enjoy my confinement, it will be nice to get out of this damned bed, at least." He admitted. "I don't mind being in a cell or a room, it's not being able to move around that bothers me. You never know how much you gesture when you talk until it hurts to move." It was strange, he still felt their relationship was nebulous. Friends, yes, and friendly. But... more, perhaps? Was it possible that they could be? Or was he just fond of her, and it was all one-sided? He could never admit it to ask, surely. "I'm at least dimly aware that Anna doesn't trust me, and I don't blame her in the slightest. Am I permitted to move about the castle, though? I'll accept any restrictions, or a no, but I am curious. I never bother to check outside my door for guards, I just assume they're posted." Because at heart, he thought of himself still as a treasoner. It had been as deeply ingrained into him as the scars across his back.   
  
  


"Oh, there aren't any guards," she stated, shaking her head. "You're free to leave your room if you desire, though Anna probably wouldn't be too thrilled if she caught you roaming around. Hmm. I think this whole corridor is probably safe though, I'm sure she doesn't come this way at all, just to avoid bumping into you. There are some places that are likely to always be unoccupied because they mostly go unused, like the music room and ballroom for example. I think the only area of the castle that I would really consider off limits is the upstairs level, where our bedrooms are, I think Anna would be rather upset if she saw you around there, she'd likely see it as an invasion of her personal space. As for the other parts of the castle, are pretty much open to you, if you wish to visit, all I say is go at your own risk and can only suggest that you proceed with caution."   
  
  


Hans nodded thoughtfully. "I'm uncertain how to feel about that." He admitted. "Ah, but I got stabbed defending the kingdom. The Captain tells me I should give myself some credit for that. Though I am about as eager to run into Anna as she is to run into me. I'm quite good at not being found when I don't want to be. She won't hear from me if I can help it, let alone see me." He had quite enough interaction with Anna for one lifetime. No man scared him, but he would sooner fight pirates than deal with Anna calling him useless again.

"It didn't make sense to keep guards posted when you are no longer my prisoner," she expressed.

Hans considered that thought. "I suppose not." He said, but didn't seem to quite believe the idea. "I suppose it would look bad if the man training your guards needed a guard presence, himself. So... if I'm to live in Arendelle, if I'm truly to be a citizen here, should I save for a home here? I imagine I probably won't be asked to stay here when Anna is so upset with me. And I don't exactly have family money anymore in the Isles. But I don't mind the idea of having a humble home here. As long as the people of Arendelle don't feel like lynching me in the night, anyway. Thankfully I seem to be winning people over easily enough." Though he wasn't sure if that was truly a good thing.   
  


Elsa didn't know how to answer that, she hadn't really thought of him leaving the castle. She opened her mouth to speak but remained silent for a little while longer. 

"I-Uh, I...I really don't mind having you stay here in the castle myself,"she began in a soft-spoken tone. "but I know that's not really fair to Anna. She really only seemed alright with letting you stay while you heal." She admitted with a sigh. "You could probably stay at the barracks for a time," she suggested. "And if you wished to build yourself a home in town in the future you're welcome to do so."   
  
  


"Hmm, building a home." Hans mused, seeming new to the idea. "I wouldn't have the faintest idea how, what an intriguing thought." He remarked, sounding more excited by the prospect than anything. "I may have to get a uniform if I'm to work with the guard staff. Wouldn't be my first, though the least likely, I'd wager. Perhaps when I'm fully ready to train them? I always was in favor of living alongside the men I work with." He didn't mind that any. But perhaps most importantly, she wanted him there near her. That was a sweet idea. "I might have to save a long while. Perhaps I'll find a place near the fjords someday. Near the ships and the sea. Near the castle." For her, not for anything else. The only reason he had to put his feet on dry land anymore was to visit her, really. He could have left, could have returned to sea life. But then what? Just be a midshipman? A sailor with no rank or renown? He could have, perhaps, joined Arendelle's navy, but why, if not to stay at her heels? "I suppose I have more options than I've had in a while. I'll have to think about life and consider them."


	22. Waltz of the Snowflakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ((Direct continuation of the previous chapter. I'm really bad at updating I had this done since I posted the last chapter, but just kept pushing off the update. I have two other chapters. IDK how soon I should post them, cause I don't want to spam them.))

Elsa was appeased knowing that in the future, even if Hans didn't continue to stay in the castle, he would still want to put down roots somewhere nearby, remaining somewhere between the castle and the sea. Not straying far from her, staying at her beck and call. The idea eased more than her mind, it really seemed to warm her heart as well. 

Her heart had been feeling a little lighter that night. It was a strange sensation to have it be constantly aflutter. She didn't quite fathom why the feeling seemed to be lingering longer than it usually did. Though she just thought it was more peculiar than particularly unpleasant. Her heart's flutter was not the most abnormal thing she was presently experiencing either. Stranger still was the sudden surge in her magic, that desperately wanted to break free. A tingling extruded from her extremities, yet the unexpected swirling of magic within her didn't feel like any of the normal outburst that often occurred when she got anxious. This burst of power was somewhat different, it seemed more euphoric, if she had to make a comparison she'd consider it to be closer to the feeling of when she let it go for the first time in forever, more than anything else. The abrupt sensation scouring through her body puzzled her a bit because she didn't understand why now? Most of the time her powers started acting up was when she felt more negative emotions, currently she was feeling quite the contrary, in fact she was rather content, but she didn't think that alone would warrant her powers to swell inside her.

Elsa had a soft smile on her face. She had been curiously looking down at her hands. 

"Yeah, I-Oh?" she began to respond, but she suddenly stopped when she spotted a snowflake slowly drift by her nose. Elsa looked up and saw that a small flurry had formed above her which was starting to softly drop snowflakes around her. This was new. "That's...strange. What is going on?'' She commented pointing up a bit stunned at what was occurring, being surprised by her own powers was something that didn't happen quite often. Her icy blues were opened wide, transfixed on the abnormal snowfall. "I have absolutely no idea why my powers decided to be unruly right now."  
  


Hans grimaced a little at the thought. 

"Should I be worried, your Majesty? I seem to recall the last time they got unruly was a rather painful experience for all of us." He laughed a little nervously and shifted somewhat uncomfortably to give her space. Not because he was afraid of her, but because he was reminded that _she_ should be afraid of _him._ _  
_  
  


"Hm? No, I don't think so, it's nothing that drastic," she assured, she flicked her wrist and the flurry vanished. "I think I have it under control." 

Elsa turned facing towards the window and began to test her control over her powers. She quickly conjured a variety of forms which she quickly transfigured. She began the release of her pent-up magic with a snowman much like Olaf which collapsed and reconfigured to a horse, followed by a replica of her Ice Castle that then turned in on of the Arendelle Castle. After seeing enough of her perfect precision over her magic she let it dematerialized.

She hummed in confusion. "That was rather odd, I know my powers sometimes seep out when I feel anxious, but the thing is I didn't think I was feeling that way at all, also it usually tends to be ice not snow." Elsa was perplexed, she pressed her lips. She might have thought it wasn't due fatigue but she didn't think that was the case either. She really was clueless.  
  
  


"Hmm, ice for danger, snow for... something else? Something lighter?" Hans proposed, perplexed and intrigued as he leaned back to watch her work upside-down. He grunted a little and righted himself when she was done, finding he couldn't process anything upside-down, anyway. He seized upon a strange idea, and pushed himself to his feet. In spite of his drinking earlier, he seemed perfectly steady. He'd had some time to process the alcohol, after all. He offered her his hand. 

"Perhaps it only makes sense to women who've known me in more pleasant circumstances, but I've just realized we've known each-other for a rather long time now, and I'm not certain I've ever asked you for a dance. That's not very like me." He mused. He wondered if that would change the ice as well. He wasn't sure what he thought he was doing, but somewhere deep down, it felt like that made sense. Dancing would illuminate things. He often liked to dance and think at the same time.  
  
  


Elsa thought Hans' hypothesis about the snow seemed rather reasonable, but she wondered why something similar hasn't occurred sooner. Dance? The invitation caught her off guard, bringing out a blush on her cheeks yet again. She gawked at him, from his offered hand to his contemplative face. Elsa couldn't determine whether his proposition or the snow were the far stranger between the two. Though she decided she'd take his suggestion as part of the tipsy foolishness he'd warned her about earlier. 

"Um, you have not," she responded. "Though I'm uncertain what that has to do with anything," she started in confusion, yet her own hand already seemed to be hesitantly dancing to determine whether or not she should take his hand. "Also I'm not much of a dancer, I'm certain I'm quite bungling at it."  
  
  


"Not a thing." He assured sweetly. "Unless it does and I don't know. You don't have to be good, I like a simple box-step. Trust me to lead and you'll do fine." He assured, never wavering in his offer. "I'm in the habit of dancing often. There were always maids around to dance with at home, so it was a good way to pass the time, hold a conversation, pretend everything was alright." He assured, at least he admitted the truth; it was pretending.  
  
  


Elsa teetered a bit more, she paused, looking him over one more time, intently gazing into his eyes for a long moment. 

"Alright," she said softly as she gently grasped his warm hand with her own. Elsa figured dancing was something a bit more formal anyway, an activity royals partook in often, even if she herself wasn't one of them. Besides, they had certainly already been a lot more intimate than that before, so taking up on his offer couldn't possibly hurt, could it? He was also her friend now, surely that's something they do together. Regardless of all the logical reasoning (or excuses as others may prefer to see them) the reality was that a part of her strongly wanted to feel his ever emanating warmth against her skin once again.  
  
  


Hans smiled a little to himself and positioned their arms as he walked her out a little ways from the bed. Just as well that it was simple, he was still injured and couldn't exactly do a whole _lot_ of activity. He hummed a tune with the appropriate rhythm and held her close while he led, starting slow for her and picking up to match the music as she got the pattern. 

"There we are. An easy box-step." He sounded pleased with that, continuing at the same pace, as constant and inevitable as the tide.  
  
  


Elsa did struggle a bit at first, stumbling and not perfectly matching the pattern, but with Hans taking the lead and his gentle guidance she seemed to be getting the hang of it fairly quickly. She had been pretty preoccupied at first trying to focus all her attention on her feet, but now she had gotten more control over her motor skills and could actually look at him. 

"I do beg your pardon if I step on your toes too hard, but I do think I'm finding my footing."  
  
  


"Oh, you're not the first person I've guided through the steps, and you've had a little more practice than some of the maids." He assured her, not minding at all. "I'm a tough young man, I can handle being trodden on once or twice." He joked, carrying on the pace without worry, and just enjoying the rhythm of the movement. It wasn't often that he shared something from home that wasn't angry or depressing. It was just a nice thing he held onto and brought wherever he went. An odd habit he enjoyed. A simple box-step for no good reason other than that it was enjoyable.  
  
  


"Only a bit of practice, not much though, definitely not the adequate amount that a Queen _should_ know. Certainly ill-prepared for any royal social gathering. Luckily I don't have to partake in those if I don't desire," she assured. "Hopefully you don't get trodden thrice I'm afraid to find out what happens then," she joked back with a giggle. 

Their dancing had made yet another bittersweet memory re-emerge, it was her dancing with her father when she was a little girl, stepping on his toes being half his size. Happy memories with her parents were so few and far between she often wondered if they had just been lovely dreams she made up in her solitude.  
  
  


"Everyone misses a few things they ought to know, there's not enough time in one's youth to get all that information at once." Hans assured, with unusual amounts of forgiveness for himself. He said it as if to brush away her anxieties and shield her from them. "At any rate, you're doing a lovely job. You've got the grace to dance, just not the training. Never mind it, it will come." He assured her, though confident for no particular reason except to make her feel better.

"That's for certain, might as well learn how to do some of that stuff now," Elsa smiled. "Thank you, probably wouldn't be as lovely without an excellent instructor." She complimented. Elsa thought the two of them just dancing for no particular reason was rather nice. Just being in each other's company always felt right, more so when they shared pleasant moments (which unexpectedly involved much warmth and caresses exchanged between an Ice Queen and a quondam Prince).  
  
  


"It's surprising, I must've danced with half the girls in the Isles by now, just by fact of how many maids we hire. But I don't tell _everybody_ I play the harp. Funny how one can get things out of order, going to a new place." He observed, smiling slightly as he danced with her. He hummed again, a slow, perhaps even romantic song. It had to be slow, starting to learn, every song felt much faster, but that didn't ease the romantic tension any. Romantic tension that Hans didn't seem to mind, if he noticed it.  
  
"Hmm. Is that so? I guess that makes me part of the lucky few. You know I'd still very much love to hear you play for me, and there's a harp waiting to be used in the music room, most likely untuned, but it's there," she reminded him warmly. "But perhaps not right now, but someday soon would be nice," she encouraged with a sweet smile and softness in her eyes.  
  
  


"Certainly, I'd love to play for you. Any time you and I are both in, perhaps a tea time, if you're not occupied elsewhere." He proposed lightly. 'elsewhere' being Anna, no doubt. "I suppose it's only fair, I'm one of the lucky few who has seen you with your hair down, I've no doubt." He glanced to her hair, with something all too fond in his eyes. Perhaps it was good that his hands were occupied with the form of the dance, else he might have tried to touch it. That surely would have been... bad?  
  
  


"Of course, tea time might actually be the most opportune time to have a rendezvous, I'm seldom occupied during tea time, I usually spend them alone in the library, so I would definitely enjoy it if you joined me and spend one together," she eagerly assured him. Elsa became a bit more bashful with his observation of her hair, especially with the way he looked at her with his green gleaming eyes. She slightly averted her face from meeting his gaze directly, bringing one of her crimsoning cheeks near her shoulder, yet a smile stayed on her face. Suddenly, another soft sprinkling of snowflakes started to surround, not just Elsa, but the both of them.  
  
  


Hans couldn't help but smile a little at the snowflakes. "I thought a dance might draw a little flurry out of you." He hummed. But he wasn't sure yet what they meant. Just that they were a good thing. "That, or I'm very wrong and it's a sign you're coming down with a... cold." He giggled a little at the pun he only realized was there as he was telling it. "Oh there's _snow_ way to talk to me without puns eventually, I'm afraid." He had been spending time with Kristoff and Olaf. If anything he now had more horrible puns.  
  
  


Elsa was still bemused by the snowflakes produced by her unpredictable powers. She looked at them with wonder trying to make sense of what they meant, but still had no clue besides recognizing that it was somehow linked to her current bliss. 

She laughed a little at his pun. "Oh, I don't get colds and even if I did I think you'd _snow_ ." She thought it was rather silly, but that didn't stop her from trying.  
  
  


Hans laughed a little more at her returned pun. He looked different when he smiled with his eyes, hints of crow's feet that showed only in the rare event that he was genuinely that happy. 

"Should we stop, or should I go for _'Icy_ what you did there'?" He teased. "Ah, it's late, isn't it? Or perhaps early, by now? Should I stop distracting you before bed?" Yet they still danced. He seemed to dance by habit, hardly noticing he was doing it.  
  
  


"It would indeed be wise to get _some_ rest before daybreak,"she said softly, yet was reluctant to let go, not knowing when they'd be able to share another warm moment like this again.  
  
  


Hans slowed the dance all the same.

"Another dance another time?" He proposed gently. "I can see I still have some healing to do before I take on the guard training full time. I'll have a little time." He suggested. He smiled a little to himself, perhaps realizing how that sounded. Almost as if he would be going away to war, though it was truthfully not far a walk from the castle doors to the guard's barracks. But, he knew she was a busy woman.  
  
  


"Perhaps," she smiled. "This has been rather nice and I could also really use the practice." And there it was again, adding some other justification, she just couldn't seem to allow herself to admit that she wanted to do it solely for her own pleasure. 

Even though Hans wasn't going too far once he healed, she still wanted to cherish and indulge herself with more of these warming moments. She wanted to enjoy this _freedom_ of spending time together, since it wasn't going to last forever.  
  
  


He nodded, and finally let her go, if slowly. He was as reluctant for her to leave as she was. 

"I shall see you when you next want my presence, I suppose." He hummed, but he said it with a little smile. He liked it when she visited. She had asked herself if she was treating him like a bird in a cage to sing for her-- but she had never thought about whether he liked to be her songbird.  
  
  


The snowflakes ceased, yet she hadn't been paying so much attention to them anymore. 

"I suppose so," She affirmed, tucking some of her hair behind her ear, with her now free hand. "I guess, I'll see me, wait no, I meant **you** , ah anyway, I'll see you fairly soon then." Elsa assured with a slight stumble with her words, similar to how she'd done earlier with her feet. "Possibly tomorrow if I'm able." Of course, she was talking about finding time rather than asking permission. She had already been keeping her promise (to the best of her ability) of coming to visit him, if only for a short amount of time. So there was no doubt she'd be back, but she liked to reassure him anyway.  
  
  


Hans nodded, looking hopeful and encouraged about it. 

As soon as Elsa left, he returned to the bed, to sleep almost instantly. He'd had quite a busy day, after all. But he would sleep comfortable, thinking of all the positive things-- but especially of the snow.  
  
  


Elsa had gone to sleep much later than she intended, she laid in bed, her mind lost in contemplation. You'd think sleep would come easy after such a lovely evening with both Anna _and_ Hans, and perhaps it would have if something else wasn't tormenting her thoughts. 

What kept her mind restless was the mystery surrounding why her magic had been acting up that night. It had only caused her powers to amplify and an involuntary snowfall, two things that weren't at all bad, just unexpected. 

It had also been a different sensation than prior times her magic had been rowdy and that was a bit disconcerting. Something like _that_ had never happened to her before, even blissfully being with Anna, which she believed bore the closest resemblance to what she felt with Hans. Yet with Anna she only felt a warmth that flowed from her heart, a melting sensation, but in a good way. That was not at all what had happened with Hans, she did feel something strange in her heart, but it wasn’t quite the same.

  
So that brought up the pressing question: Did the new outburst have something _special_ to do with Hans? If so, what was so different? Why did it only happen with Hans and not with Anna too? She started thinking about what made her powers tick, she knew that both _fear_ and _love_ were catalysts that amplified her magic, she hadn't been feeling the former so that only left the latter. Love. Could love really be involved in what caused the outburst? She was certainly fond of Hans, there was no doubt about that, he was her friend now, but could it be she felt something more than amiable affinity? Could she maybe really...no, that'd be silly. Elsa brushed that thought away, perhaps she was overthinking things again, like she tended to. Whatever caused the occurrence Elsa decided it was best not to continue worrying about it that night and instead get some much needed rest.


	23. Cordially Invited

Elsa overslept after her long evening, but she'd still got up well before Anna started stirring out of her slumber. Oversleeping to Elsa only meant she'd gotten up at a more sensible hour, closer to when normal people (and not extra early birds, such as herself) tended to awaken. Her mind not shutting off right away once she'd gone to bed really took a toll and the price was more sleep, how tragic. Perhaps Anna would have been able to do her hair after all, if she only allowed herself to sleep in, for real. She smiled a little, gazing in the vanity mirror as she brushed and put her hair back in her usual braid, remembering the compliments she'd gotten. 

Soon she was off on her normal routine even if she had started a tad bit later than usual. Her workload seemed quite manageable that day. As lunchtime started rolling around, Elsa started thinking of possibly having a tea time with Hans that afternoon. Sure, it was imprudent, especially considering the late night they just had, but she was eager to spend more time together if they were both able. She was eager, but perhaps not dauntless enough to go ask him directly, maybe being a bit nervous to face him now that he was more sobered up. So she decided to send him an invitation, yes it might have been overly formal, but sending him a written request put her more at ease (particularly for the off chance he would decline instead). He was to receive the invitation along with his lunch, and Elsa would have to wait until tea time to see if he would join her, which was a bit suspenseful, she of course would be a disappointed if he didn't show (but probably not as much if he'd told her), but she'd given him the option of not coming if he was unable as well.

  
Hans was also an early bird, now too beset by the idea of waking up at a reasonable hour. He still slept in a little later than Elsa, but for his part, he had little to do _but_ sleep, much to his eternal vexation. The invitation was a surprise, but a pleasant one. He thought it was terribly cute that she wrote it all out formally. She could've easily sent someone to just ask, it wasn't as if they were a mile apart, but she had opted for a formal letter. He was half-tempted to be cheeky and write a formal acceptance back, but suspected she would miss the humor in it. Instead, he opted to wear some of his nicer clothes -still quite ordinary, as he did still have his prison clothes, but some of the ones with the bloodstains best washed out- and appear there when tea time arrived, on the dot. He had little better to do than be punctual, and as a Navy man, punctuality was important. more so than uniforms, at any rate. 

"Good afternoon, your Majesty. Or is tea time when we switch to 'good evening'?" He asked with a smile, just being sweet and light.

At the sound of Hans' voice resonating through the room, Elsa turned to look at him. She had previously been playing around with the table spread trying to make it look just right, she could be a bit obsessive when it comes to being orderly. Seeing him more dressed up than she'd become accustomed to, caught her by surprise, she hadn't seen like that since he'd first arrived, not that she was complaining. 

"Oh, good afternoon," she greeted with a smile. "Glad you were able to join me."

  
  


"Of course. I made room in my busy schedule of 'nothing much to do' just for this." He assured, with a playful smile. "Tea in the music room perhaps, then? So I can play for you?" The tone of a servant, though given with what was perhaps a knowing smile. He suspected she might've liked him. He didn't think he was deserving of it, part of him wanted to warn her away from it, but he couldn't deny that it felt nice to be liked. He hadn't decided yet how to feel about the whole thing.

  
"Sounds like you really had to clear your schedule just to make it," she lightly laughed. "Yes, of course, but please do have some tea first,"she offered, signaling with her arm that he should take a seat at the already arranged table, she didn't want him to just play for her the whole time. 

  
"As you please." He hummed, settling where she gestured and moving to pour the tea. He was a gentleman, and a Navy man. In a way, he was used to service. It was a small gesture, but not one that one might expect of a prince, let alone the one once accused of Treason. The silence was unusual, but amicable. Hans didn't want to be the one to break it, when tea warranted a bit of thoughtful introspection and quiet contemplation.

  
Elsa was used to silence while she sipped tea in solitude, yet with Hans there it somehow felt unbearable, even if it was rather nice just to have him there, she had to break the ice. Starting conversations wasn't her forte, but she gave it a try just to get him talking. She needed to think about a topic, of course she could ask about the weather but that was so drab, she had to come up with something better. Think Elsa, think. She looked around the room. That's it! Instruments. She could ask what instruments the rest of the Princes of the Isles had taken up, but then she didn't like being the one to bring up his brothers or the Isles, she still only felt comfortable asking when he was the one opening up to talk about that subject. 

"So, when did you start learning to play the harp?" she asked instead, she didn't know the answer despite them talking about his ability to play the harp countless times.

  
Hans had to think about it a bit. "Oh, when I was young I suppose, maybe around my early teenage years? Those were difficult, but Gregory plays piano, and makes music his life, so he taught me." Hans seemed to detect Elsa's discomfort with the silence, and opted to go on. "He married a singer, Katharina. Sweet girl, never heard her say an unkind thing, and _that_ is an accomplishment, living with the family. Gregory is a good man, all kindness and passion for music. His response to terminal illness was to opt out of any crown business and focus solely on music. The castle would be a miserable place without it." He didn't mind talking about the good parts of his family. If asked in good faith, he wouldn't mind talking about the bad parts, either.

  
"That's sweet, it's awful that your brother is ill, but it sounds like he's making the best of it by surrounding himself by things he loves." Elsa didn't know how else to respond. It was bittersweet. It was nice to hear that one of Hans' brother's was the one that taught him.

  
"He is, and filling the castle with music. A number of us learned some instrument or other, so I chose the Harp. In a family full of men, even Eduard was shy of choosing a feminine instrument. He's changed a lot since then, of course, but I wanted something unique, so I picked the Harp. It's a background instrument, something no-one but the player truly pays attention to on most occasions. Exactly the sort of role I wanted in the house: unnoticed." He explained simply. "My brothers harassed me for all sorts of things already, adding one more was meaningless, and by that point I was learning to withstand them. Not well enough, but I made it through my teenage years." With the help of some other brothers cutting him down, but she didn't need to know the details of that venture. The harp was much more harmless, better to talk about that.

  
Unique but unnoticed, sounded a bit like a contradiction. Elsa let out a groan at the mention of him being tormented by some of his brothers, it was always upsetting to hear that his own family was purposely callous towards him. 

"Hopefully, you don't mind being noticed playing for me." He would not be obscured in the background playing for her, instead he would be the focal point of her attention.

  
"I don't mind being noticed here. Unless it's by Anna, I'd sooner she forget I was here at all. But for you, I don't mind being noticed." He assured her gently. He cringed a little. "When I say it all out _loud_ it sounds much worse, doesn't it?" He admitted with a weak chuckle. "Many of my brothers are sweet or largely inoffensive. Most of my 'tormenting' was sibling teasing. A few bad apples made my life a bit rough, though statistically the number is higher than I'd like." He assured, apparently trying to comfort her with the idea that not _all_ of his childhood was awful. It was, he just didn't realize he deserved his traumas.

  
Elsa shrugged a little at his question, she truly didn't mind either. 

"Having only one sibling it's hard for me to truly understand, but I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have a sister as loving as Anna."

  
"I would suggest that being alone would've been much more unbearable without knowing there was someone on the outside missing you. It's a sharper pain, but I've found that while sharp cuts hurt more in the moment, they do less damage overall than significant blunt pains." It was probably for the best if he didn't expound on his knowledge of that.

  
"I suppose," she answered with a nod as she took another sip of her tea. Their conversation seemed to have gone gloomy without delay, but that wasn't new, it seemed to be a common occurrence with the two of them. Thinking of a way to try to brighten it up proved rather difficult for Elsa since starting and keeping a conversation going was already a challenge for her.

  
Hans, by contrast, seemed perfectly comfortable with both the quiet and with the gloomy turn. He lived mired in it, so being able to talk about the gloomy things may have actually been a bit of a good sign. They were comfortable, and could unload on each-other all the dark things that bothered them-- if they trusted each-other with that.

"Hmm, sorry. I didn't mean to bring up anything dark. It's a bit how my mind works, I think. I don't think it's always a bad thing, to reflect on bad things. We just have to watch that it doesn't overtake us. The seas are allowed to be a little edgy, so long as we don't sail directly into a maelstrom." He _would_ bring it back to sailing, somehow.

  
"Oh, don't be. My mind tends to go down that path as well. I don't mind talking about that stuff, I'm just so used to changing the subject before it gets too dark because I don't feel I can really talk to Anna about some of these things."

  
"Well, thankfully for me, I'm not Anna or I'd have to be even angrier with myself. You're welcome to talk about the dark things with me. Lord knows I do it enough, but I suppose I only talk about the darker things here because you actually seem to take an interest." And express sympathy, rather than telling him to man up or get over it. She didn't need to know that part.

"Of course, I like to listen. I think it helps me understand you a bit better," she assured.

  
"For better or worse, hm?" He suggested with amusement. He _meant_ it as a joke about how it might not be a good thing to understand him better. He didn't think about the line as also being used in wedding vows, and it was probably best not to read into it. "Well, is there anything you'd like to know about me? While we're being chatty and talking about dark things, may as well."

  
Anything? Everything, if she was being honest. She had countless questions, but that moment being put on the spot she couldn't think of any. What could she ask him that she was most curious to know. 

"Hmm." She paused and pondered. She could really ask him anything, yet her mind was blank. Then she thought of something she was still in the dark about. She seemed to have gotten a better understanding of the relationship he had with his brothers when he described them to her but she still didn't know much about his parents. What she gathered from previous conversations was that Hans thought of his father as a good man, but he was unfortunately ill and his mother seemed to be a different story; he seemed to hold some rancor towards her. She wondered if it was a can of worms she was really wanting to open. 

"Um, I think I would like to know more about your relationship with your parents, so I can get a better idea of what they're like --like I did when you talked about your brothers-- Of course you don't have to answer if it's too personal." She asked somewhat nervously, thinking she might have overstepped the boundary. She really could have asked him absolutely anything and yet that's what came to mind.

  
Hans shrugged a little, as much a gesture of opening his hand as it was with his shoulders, he was willing to give up that knowledge if she was willing to ask for it. 

"My mother was an actress, and in many ways, still is. I'm sure I'll never know what father saw in her aside from her beauty. She _is_ quite beautiful, and a talented actress, but unfortunately she is also a horribly neglectful mother, and prone to the 'man up and make something of yourself' school of parenting. 'Westergaards are lions, not mice' she would say, and we would all casually overlook the fact that she's only one by _marriage,_ so what would she bloody well know about it?" He shook his head a little.

"She's the type to tell the people that she loves all her children, but she never learned sign language for Bernhard, and that, I think, tells you all you need to know about her. Though I'll be happy to talk about what a terrible mother she is all day if you're interested." He certainly pulled no punches, there. "My father, on the other hand, has always been loving and supportive. Gerard took after him splendidly; all integrity, loyalty, and honor. I only pray that Gerard didn't also inherit his poor health."

  
Ouch, that was harsh, both how Hans saw her and how she treated her children, though it wasn't far off from what she'd deduced. She didn't know how to respond, but she asked in the first place. Elsa almost wanted to apologize, but refrained herself for doing so, because he would only tell her it was not her fault, which was true. 

"You're welcome to talk about it whenever you want, I'll listen," she offered, with sincerity. Though now might not have been the best time to spend _all_ day talking about it, souring their tea time with bitter memories.

  
"I don't think of when I want to do things, generally. Remember, I'm a mirror. Who do you think I got that from?" His mother, of course. The actor took after the actress. "I do what people approve of. I want to be approved, that's how I am. When left to my own devices, I try to avoid notice and be as unremarked as possible, usually. At least in the Navy I had a role, it was whatever my rank said I was. To be approved of I simply had to do my job. That was easy. Fools tell stories and jokes as long as they have an audience, guards protect and train and are ready to defend a kingdom, prisoners need only to sit in a cell and be repentant. Jobs are easy. Being a prince is damned near impossible. At least where I'm from." It was a novel way to think of it, and one he had never really put to words before. As long as he had a job, a role, an identity, he could be. When he didn't, he tried not to be at all, because then all he was left with was 'mirror'.

  
He kept saying that he was nothing but a mirror, yet Elsa didn't fully believe it herself, she firmly felt there was something more. Yes, he was excessively adaptable trying to seek validation, but she didn't think he was reflecting 'what people wanted' without reflecting a bit of _himself_ as well. Though perhaps the problem was he failed to realize he even had a reflection. He lost himself playing the parts, yet that didn't mean people didn't recognize the actor in the role. In actuality, she saw him more as a man trapped in a mirror instead of being the mirror himself, and because of that he was unable to see his own reflection. Elsa wanted to state something similar to her speculation out loud, but no words came out, instead she remained silent and sipped her tea.

  
"Hm, the more time I spent telling you I don't talk about my issues, the more time I spend talking about my issues." Hans admitted, after a long and awkward silence. He couldn't help but smile sheepishly over his tea, while he shut up and drank a bit. "What can I say? You bring the truth out of me, whether I want it or not. And maybe deep down I do." What an odd thought, yet it seemed true. He wanted to talk to her about things, and hear what she did -or didn't- have to say about it.

  
"I'm glad to hear that," Elsa smiled with an audible hum, she was indeed flattered that he was willing to open up to her, and certainly more than happy to listen. Her beaming blue eyes jumped from her tea cup to Hans and back again.

  
He wondered a moment if she had wanted to say something. He certainly didn't mind as the quiet settled in again, this time more peacefully. 

"I wonder how it is, that my kingdom has all the sun, but yours is somehow brighter?" He mused. It was just a general 'feeling' of brighter and lightness. Maybe it was just her. "Our land is warmer, but yours has the warmth, as it were." And it was true, Arendelle was -at least socially- warmer.

  
"Hm, you really think so?" She questioned with curiosity. She hadn't known much about how things were outside her own home so it was hard for her to compare. "How else would you say the Isles really differ from Arendelle? As a place I mean."

  
"Our humor is darker, we're a little less... I'm not sure. I want to say 'we're less kind', though I'm not sure how to justify that accusation. More, we have different philosophies about the world, I think, and Arendelle's is lighter and sweeter. Of course, the majority of my exposure to the Isles is through the castle. It's possible the town is nothing like that and my expectations are just colored." He shrugged. "My perspective is certainly much darker than most. But then, the Isles still has corporal punishment, so I think it's probably justified to say that we're much darker." It was just a fact, as he knew it. It was less frequently used than it had once been, but it was still there.

  
Elsa nodded along. Perspective was a fickle thing, experience really could mold the outlook someone held about something, be it a place or a person. Elsa would have never imagined that her perspective of Hans would ever alter, yet here they were, an unlikely pair having tea together. Naturally it would have never happened without Elsa allowing herself the opportunity to try get to know him better. 

"You know I used to wonder...and worry, whether or not I could maintain Arendelle’s prosperity as Queen. That's still certainly on my mind, but it was more prevalent before my ascension, back when I was planning to keep the gates closed." She remembered, with the talk about their homelands. "I'm truly grateful that the gates are now open, I'm sure the people are too and find it more pleasant, than having an ominous Queen ruling them from behind a closed gate. I really am blessed to be able to see, feel and enjoy Arendelle's happiness myself."

  
Hans nodded thoughtfully. "In spite of everything that happened, I'm... glad that whatever awful things happened, I ended up here, at this moment. I certainly wouldn't want to _repeat_ past events if it could be helped, but, being here now is nice. It's certainly better than I expected would happen after those events." Not quite what he had hoped or planned for before them, but hopes and plans of 'then' were meaningless now. Now he was just happy that Elsa seemed to have forgiven him. "Do you think Anna will forgive and forget? Or, at least, forgive? I wouldn't be surprised nor offended if she didn't, but I'm curious about your perspective."

  
Elsa pursed her lips like she usually did when she pondered. 

"I really don't know to be honest. I want to say yes, maybe someday, because Anna is the kindest, most loving and forgiving person I know...but she's still hurt and I don't know when or if that will ever heal," she offered her insight. "I don't know if forgiveness will come for sure, but there's hope for a compromise."

  
Hans nodded thoughtfully. "It's a difficult proposition, I know." He thought about the cold dismissal in Anna's voice when she said 'I have no use for you'. It was something he should have expected, yet it still knotted his stomach to think about. He gritted his teeth a little and refocused on his tea, taking a sip and trying to re-center himself on something nicer. 

"So, ah, anything else you'd like to know about me or my family? Working on a ship, foreign lands, anything?" Questions. Anything to prompt him to think of something else. He didn't look at her when he said it, he was staring off at nothing, the corner moulding on the far wall by the rug. He wasn't really looking at it, but trying to wrestle himself away from his thoughts.

Elsa noticed the subtle change in his demeanor. It was clear he wanted to change the subject, but she forgot to tell him something and perhaps it would have been better if she had started off with it. 

"You know last night Anna told me it was perhaps good that you were here and that we could learn something important," she mentioned. 

Elsa remembered she never did get the chance to tell Hans that Anna had a habit of hitting a person's weak spots without knowing it, like Kristoff had suggested after their confrontation, so it was likely he was taking the idea of being seen as 'useless' by Anna to heart ever since then. She didn't know if her words would help any, but she was at least putting them out there.

Hans tilted his head a little, curiously. "Oh?" He sounded very puzzled by that thought. "And what on earth could be learned from this, for you?" Yet even as he asked, some part of him started filling in answers. "She thinks it might be _good_ that I'm... well, I did help with the invasion." He admitted with a shrug. Indeed, he had helped to turn the tide of it, he just didn't realize how vital he had been, yet. To say nothing of re-training the guard staff.

  
"Hm? Yes, she recognized that you helped stop the raid."Elsa nodded, and added." I don't know what we would have done without you.

  
Hans blinked, perplexed by the thought. He knew it, yes, but it was different to hear it out loud. It seemed his mind was bound and determined that he should hate himself, so evidence that he shouldn't was slow to process. 

"I'm still perplexed that Weselton tried at all, that's a hangable offense in the Isles, starting wars against other nations. Especially with me here. My brother would never have authorized an attempted coup, let alone knowing I was here." He got lost on that thought a moment, almost forgetting to acknowledge his own help. "I suppose... The coup would have been successful. Or at least, more successful than would matter otherwise. I can't imagine..." But he could, all too well. He knew what sword-hacked necks looked like, and he trembled to think about the blood in the grand hall.

"Forgive me, my imagination just ran away with me in an awful way. I think I know what will feature in my nightmares now." He had them all too frequently, but nightmares were normal to him.

"Let's think of something more pleasant than that battle. Olaf seems to have figured out who I am, and he's taking it well. Your little snow-prince has quite charmed me." Hans admitted, putting on a pleasant tone as he tried to find something as far removed from blood and gore as he could drag it.

  
"Oh, he has? It makes sense he would have figured it out by now, I didn't know how to tell him myself. The only reason I didn't want him to know in the first place was to keep him from telling Anna, because as you know, he is a rather chatty snowman," She assured. "It was rather pointless considering what happened next, yet it did make you 'Hans the Fool' which both of you seem to enjoy, so some good came out of it, I suppose," Elsa smiled, remembering how entranced they'd been when Hans told his story. 

"Olaf is an embodiment of excitement, so I'm not surprised he's taken a liking to you especially considering you enjoy indulging him, which the rest of us aren't always able to do. I'm glad you've taken a liking to him as well. I'm sure he's ecstatic to have found himself a kindred spirit." She noted. "Though why do you keep calling him my 'little snow-prince'?" It was admittedly a rather cute nickname, but did Hans actually believe Olaf was next in line to the throne because he saw Olaf as her magic snow child. She didn't know how she felt about that, even if it was just another jest.

  
Hans chuckled a little. "Because the first thing I asked was 'is he in line for the crown', and I noticed you never actually _answered_ that question." Hans laughed into his hand, a little impish again. "I know he's probably _not_ , because that would be a clerical _nightmare,_ but it's a very cute thought and I can't help but find it endearing. He is very much like a child, so I rather want to treat him like one." That said some pleasant things about Hans, and how he spoke to children, at least. "Excitement and adventure do go along delightfully well, perhaps that's why we get on. I've built my life around a yearning for adventure, and the excitement that goes with that feeds stories."

  
"I think I might have missed the question entirely, because my mind was certainly preoccupied about other things when Olaf entered," She admitted. "Oh, he’s _definitely_ not in line, though I will admit it's an endearing idea. But could you even imagine? Just thinking about it is giving me a headache, Arendelle being ruled by a living snowman, but certainly another interesting read for the history books, for sure. No offense to Olaf, but I don't think he's cut out to be king, it would certainly bore him to death," she lightly snickered, shaking her head at the silly notion. "Though it makes me wonder if he would disappear if I-" she brushed that thought away with a jerk of her head "... it's probably best not think too deeply about this silly little 'what if'."

"Perhaps you could accompany Olaf on a little adventure around Arendelle someday, I'm sure Olaf would appreciate it, he's always eager to do anything to quench his infinite boredom, and you could always tell me the story of your quest afterwards," she suggested with a smile. It was a silly little idea, but she was sure the two childish boys would enjoy it.

  
Hans gave a slightly strained smile. "No, probably best not." He agreed, because he knew what the 'what if' was, too.

"There's a nice thought. Maybe I'll give us a task the next time he's annoying you and Anna, and I'll 'babysit' the snowman. What else is a fool good for, if not entertaining the children?" He smiled a little, impishly, as if daring her to argue that he wasn't the fool or shouldn't boil himself down like that. "Perhaps that would be a fun children's story on its own, the snow-king, all about a snowman king in a world full of human kings. What a funny thought. I can't imagine him being adult enough to wear a crown, let alone use its power."

  
"Hm. That's not exactly how I was envisioning it," she bobbed her head a bit. "I was thinking something more for the fun of it, I thought you'd enjoy exploring together as friends, instead as a nanny watching over a child," she shrugged. "Oh, and fools are good for far greater things, but seem to be too stubborn to see it." She glanced at him with a half smile before taking to another sip of her tea.

"I really can't imagine Olaf ever really growing up, perhaps growing a little wiser, but magical snowmen don't really age like people so it's really hard to know." She shrugged again." And yes, the snow-king does sound like it'd make rather an interesting story," she agreed. "Maybe another story you can tell Olaf sometime... and perhaps me too." she added a bit shyly. "I do enjoy listening to your stories, fact or fiction, you make them so vivid and immersive. You really are a great storyteller you know, ever consider writing one?"

  
"Oh it would still be a friendly adventure. But when else do I leave the castle, but when I have a task?" He was task-driven, it seemed, and perhaps he too was only just noticing that fact. "I used to write, but I would always burn the pages, remember?" He remarked, perhaps a bit more quietly. The only examples of his handwriting that he knew of, unbeknownst to him, were locked in her desk drawer. "I don't like to share thoughts I've written. To me they always carry the threat of being evidence to some unknown failure. Sooner or later someone will find it out and confront me with it." It was so petty, but that was his life in the Isles. Constantly picked apart by petty quibbles.

  
"Oh, right, sorry," she said softly with a somber sigh. She hadn't forgotten, she just didn't think he would still worry about that anymore. 

"It's one of those things you don't want to draw attention to yourself over...but I really don't think anyone would hold it against you _here_ , in Arendelle at least, especially not with something as innocent as sharing a story. From what I got to read, you are quite a riveting writer, I'm sure people would approve and..." she paused, realizing her knack was probably kicking in, she frowned a little bit to herself, her tone turned more apologetic. "...pay me no mind, it was just a silly idea." Her bottom lip curled underneath the top one as she stared down into her tea cup. It was disheartening that he still believed he'd get reprimanded for expressing himself that way. He should be feel free to write without the looming fear of some unforeseen failure, over something so trivial. He wrote so eloquently in her eyes, a bit of a shame it was something he wasn't willing to share with others, because she believed they would enjoy reading his storytelling.

  
Hans looked curious. "No, go on? You rarely say so much, you must be passionate about the subject. I'm humbled to think that the subject would be my writing, of all things." He seemed quietly proud, and very humbled by the idea. "What are fools good for, if not silly ideas?"

  
Elsa lifted her gaze. "Oh, uh all I was really going to say was that I think people would enjoy reading your writing, but if you didn't want to bring attention to yourself, you could always share anonymously or using some alias," she suggested a bit sheepishly.

  
Hans smiled a bit at that. "Not a bad thought, I suppose." He admitted gently. "I'll consider it, at least. It would be nice to see if people enjoy my stories." He sounded humble, maybe even shy of the prospect.

  
Elsa smiled faintly, her eyes softening. She was happy he would at least consider it, that felt like an accomplishment to her.

  
He shifted, almost uncomfortably, but he was still smiling. 

"Never be afraid to voice your thoughts in your own kingdom, your Majesty. You're the Queen. Your opinion is the correct opinion, or at the very least the one that matters the most in most conversations you'll ever have here. It's okay to be confident now and then."

  
Hans' formality got her out of her head, breaking the gaze she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She was definitely more confident when it came to giving her opinions on actual official matters as Queen, but for whatever reason when it came to more casual interactions with people (which were only a few) she definitely became more diffident. Perhaps because during those more personal times she tended to momentarily forget she was Queen and ended up behaving more like a normal person, which she really didn't have much experience in, so of course she was a little more awkward.

"Yes, of course," she said in a more serious tone, her gaze fixed on the far wall. She was perhaps a little embarrassed of being reminded.

  
Hans pondered her a moment, noting that she seemed difficult to jar from her thoughts.

"Of course, you're a human, too." He pointed out, gently. "I've heard it said that part of a fool's job is to remind kings that they, too, are men. You're a human, you're allowed to make mistakes, and to be _without_ poise once in a while. It's a difficult thing for royals to learn. We spend so much time learning how to be perfect, that it's hard to remember that we aren't, and never will be. That's part of why I tried to get the hell out of the castle when I got the chance. I was always trying to raft away from the island as a boy, there was a standing order for years that if anyone saw a raft in the water they were meant to look for me and make sure I didn't end up drowning somewhere. Funny enough, I ended up nearly drowning far more often as a Navy man." He transitioned seamlessly from gentle coaxing her out of her reveries into amusing childhood tales, just to try and cheer her. He was good at being a Fool.

  
She returned her gaze to him. "How many times have you almost drowned? I think you've only told me about the sirens." 

It was probably not the part she was supposed to retain out of what he'd been saying, but it was the one that piqued her curiosity.

  
He thought about it and shrugged. "Not really something I keep track of, honestly. Are we only counting times we've been resuscitated? If so, then never, but only barely. But if we're talking about nearly passing out, it happens with fair regularity for various reasons. Usually me trying to be clever, is the root cause of it. And I am, but it has the side-effect of nearly killing me in the process." He laughed a little at that. "I'm not afraid of drowning, it's the coming back that hurts. I've never had to be resuscitated, but choking on inhaled seawater is never a fun experience."

  
"I can only imagine," Elsa replied pithily with a slight shiver and perhaps somewhat more withdrawn than before. She had innocently asked the question out of what she assumed to be pure curiosity, yet perhaps there was more to why that topic had specifically caught her attention, and she just hadn't realized it right away. She seemed to have started slipping into her daze once Hans mentioned that he wasn't afraid of drowning.

  
Hans noticed her slipping. It seemed to be happening a lot, that day. Usually that was his job. He stood, and moved to sit directly next to her, whereupon he offered her his hand. "Something is troubling you, my lady. A pence for your thoughts?" He asked, gently. "You're dwelling on death, I know the feeling."

  
Elsa's eyes followed him as Hans made his way to sit beside her. How did he _always_ seem to be able to read her so well? She didn’t deny his observation for it was true and instead let out a faint sough that accompanied the long breath that escaped her. Her hand easily placed itself in his without much hesitation, thankful to be surrounded in it's warmth yet again.

Elsa took in a gasp of air and slowly began to speak, if softly and still a bit detached, but at least trying to voice what was troubling her mind. 

"They were only supposed to be gone a fortnight,"she began, her fingers tightening their curl around his hand. "I asked them if they had to go... they said _I'd_ be fine, of course that wasn't what I had been worried about." She grew quiet again.

  
Hans softened and held her hand without a word for a while, tightening his grasp in a warming sort of way. He only wanted to help. 

"You had every reason to be afraid. Few from land consider the unknowns of the sea." He admitted, reassuring her with a sort of calm. He kept his voice down so she could contemplate it in her own time, but he stayed with her there. 

"Never walk into a sea of doubt alone, you may need someone to pull you back out. Go on ahead with your thoughts, I've got you." He suspected she needed to process some thoughts and be reassured. He would be there to tell her it wasn't her fault, and she could move on. It might not fix everything, but he thought it might help her handle it.

  
Elsa had never gotten time to properly process the passing of her parents, even now she had never really talked about it in depth with her own sister. It had been around five years now and it still weighed heavy on her heart, how she couldn't even embrace them before they'd left, or how she couldn't be present at their memorial, and worst of all how she could not mourn alongside her own sister in their mutual time of heartache. And all that additional regret just because of her powers and the fear that used to consume her. The warmth and clasp of his hand around hers, help anchor her from going too deep into the dark sea of her subconscious. She took another deep breath before she began to speak again, this time a little more audible than the last. 

"I know it was out of my control, but a part of me still wonders that if I tried a little harder perhaps I could have convinced them to stay." she sighed. "It aches my heart that I wasn't able to give them a proper goodbye." There was a slight wavering to her voice. Her eyes became slightly watery, but tears still at bay.

  
"Here, now. Those what-ifs will be the death of you. They're always deceptive little things, questions as small as thumb tacks that will pierce holes in your heart. Parents never listen to their children, they had work to do, and they likely would have done it regardless how you felt. By your grace in letting them leave, they could at least know that you weren't greatly distressed when they left. They could remember their calm and thoughtful daughter and their upbeat and bright daughter, and they wouldn't feel they had made your last memory of them miserable." He didn't know if that would help, but he tried to think of what he would have wanted to hear. "It's okay to be unhappy about it, though. Don't think of the impossible 'what if's. It's said that we don't mourn for the dead, we mourn for the living they left behind. Be sad, mourn for your loss. And if you need a shoulder to cry on or arms to be held by, I'll volunteer mine any day." Was that too forward? He felt it was only right. He felt he understood her misery.

  
Elsa listened and felt a bit relieved just receiving reassurance. 

“Thank you," she said softly, giving Hans' hand a firm squeeze. Letting herself lean in a bit closer to Hans.

  
Hans nodded. "What are fools for?" He joked gently. He shifted to settle, and opened an arm for her. She could keep holding his hand, or she could accept his arms and let him hold her. He told himself it was just because she was mourning, and he knew it would help her feel better. He tried to tell himself that was the only reason she might accept, too.

  
She saw his opened arm as an invitation for an embrace, now the question remained of whether or not she would accept it. She was perfectly content the way they were now, holding his hand, it was in itself nice and warm, but a hug on the other hand could be a lot nicer and more comforting. It wouldn’t be the first time they embraced and Elsa really did like warm hugs, even if she wouldn't openly admit it like Olaf. It would make her a bit nervous being that close to Hans, but that was insignificant if she could surround herself in more of his warmth. It was a tough decision, but in the end she went with the one that felt the most right. Elsa slowly let go of her clasp on his hand, freeing his arm so he could hold her.

Hans was at least a little bit surprised, but he thought that was probably a good sign. He rearranged himself to pull her close, as he would a good friend. He did wonder if that might seem a bit too intimate, though. 

"Is this okay?" He asked, hoping that it was. She was surprisingly warming, for an ice queen. Or maybe that was him blushing, it was hard to say.

  
"Mmhm," she answered with a nod. Elsa was quite used to receiving close and personal embraces from her sister, Hans was no Anna of course, yet their hugs felt somewhat similar, experience wise at least. Both their embraces made her feel safe and warm. The differences really boiled down to how they felt physically. Anna felt more soft, while Hans was not necessarily more stiff but certainly firmer. Their proportions and how they held her was different of course, Hans was far bulkier than Anna that was relatively the same her, and with Hans being taller as well it made his head float over hers. It also seemed their body temperature differed, Hans always felt somewhat warmer, yet her constant flushing whenever they came into close contact might have also played a part in why that seemed to be the case. Another difference that was perhaps strange to admit she took notice of was their scents. Anna always had a sweet aroma about her, Elsa hadn't figured out what exactly Hans' scent was yet but it was far muskier, that's for sure.

  
Hans was sorely tempted to rest his chin on the top of her head, but he possessed just enough sense of decorum to realize he probably _shouldn't_ treat the Queen of the country he now lived in like a small child. But, she seemed like she needed that warmth. At the very least, he held her close and petted her back, to try and calm her and help her feel better. Admittedly, he wasn't sure what to do after that. He would let her lead, and think of himself as just there for emotional support, as long as she wanted him there for.

  
In his embrace she no longer restrained the flow of tears she’d been holding back and began to sob silently. Finally letting the sorrow that's been stewing inside her to seep out. Allowing herself to grieve was a necessary process in enabling her heart to heal and overcome her anguish. 

Her tears slowly began to fade away as she closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the warmth that blanketed her. It was so calming just to be cradled in his arms. She stayed perfectly still a long while, clearing her mind of everything, but the bliss of the moment. Hans always seemed to have a way of easing away her worries.

In their silent embrace all she could really hear was breathing and the palpitations of Hans' heart, which was rather soothing for a time, until eventually his heartbeat started to evoke a resemblance to a ticking clock, which prompted her back to reality, realizing that she might have been holding on too long and that tea time wouldn't last forever. 

Elsa recognized that separating from their embrace might be equally or more awkward than initiating it. She started to shift her body slightly, slowly pulling her body away from Hans’.

"I'm sorry if this is not the tea time you were expecting, but thank you for indulging me regardless," she said earnestly.

  
Hans smiled a little anyway, as she pulled away, to encourage her. As much as he enjoyed that moment, it also made him wonder if he deserved it, and the more he thought along those lines, the more anxious he became. 

"No apologies necessary, I'm glad to help," He assured. "I hope tea time isn't over already? I believe I promised to play for you." He pointed out sweetly. He would remember holding her for some time, but he wanted to linger on the moment for a little while. As anxious as he was, it was still a very pleasant experience.

Even as they were prying apart from each other, there was a part of her that wished it could just stay nestled in his caress. As the distance between them increased Elsa still didn't seem to feel the warmth dissipate, yet that was likely due to all the blood deciding to rush to her face (which made it the only thing she could really sense at the moment). 

"We still have some time, besides this tea time couldn't possibly be over before even getting the chance of listening to you play the harp," she reassured with a soft smile. It was the reason they originally planned to meet in the first place after all, they just ended up getting a little sidetracked along the way. Undoubtedly a little awkward and unexpected, but it had been pleasant overall as they continued to comfort each other with their company.


	24. Hark the Harpist's Harmony

"Should I move to the harp, then?" Hans hummed, with a playful smile. Perhaps he recognized that there might be some resistance to the idea of moving away-- from both of them. "I can be here for as long as you'll have me, my time is meaningless." He assured, lightly. He had all the time in the world.

  
"Yes, please do, play the harp I mean," Elsa nodded as she awkwardly shifted a bit more to sit up in her seat. Technically she _could_ stay as long as she wanted as well, but that didn't mean she _should_. What she should and probably would do was get some more paperwork done before supper, after concluding their tea time.

  
Hans smiled just a little, and nodded. He got up to move over to the harp, sitting up straight and adjusting himself to sit exactly the way one should while playing. He checked to make sure it was in tune, then began to play. It wasn't his _first_ instinct, to play something happy. Indeed, usually he would default to something melancholy. But, for Elsa's sake, he searched for something _not_ gloomy. He found something that, while not gloomy, wasn't happy, either. It was more mysterious, an intrigue. A half-remembered song from a foreign land that he transferred from whatever original instrument to a harp. He focused on the strings while he played, as focused on that as anyone could be, lost in the strings as it were.

  
Elsa was completely enthralled, the harp was indeed a beautiful instrument and Hans played it exquisitely. The tune he chose a lovely piece that was quite captivating and she wasn't sure how to describe it other than melodically magical. Perhaps magical wasn't the correct word for her to use considering she was the Magical Ice Queen herself, but the sounds of the harp somehow seemed to give off that particular sensation. She really hoped she wouldn't distract him by deciding to move closer to get a better view. Elsa carefully and quietly made her way to piano, and gently took a seat on the bench facing Hans. She really wanted to experience his wonderful playing with as many senses as possible. To be able to do that she had to take in every detail and study everything from his posture and breathing, the form in which his fingers meticulously strummed the strings and of course the concentration on his face.

He glanced at her curiously as she moved closer, but his lip quirked just slightly, and he returned his focus, continuing to play. When one song ended, he only paused a moment before playing another. This time he hummed along, as if it had lyrics, but only half-remembered. It was a different style of song, a little lighter, a little friendlier, softer. Something that was, perhaps, attached to a memory of his. He seemed very much to allow himself to sink into his playing. Focused on the strings, and the thoughts behind them as the music became as natural as breathing in and out again. It had been a while since he played, but some things could be very deeply ingrained.

  
Elsa now sat leaning forward with her elbows near her knees and her hands cupping her face. Certainly not the proper posture for a Queen, but she was completely mesmerized by the music. After closely observing Hans for some time, she decided to close her eyes and just let music envelop her. The addition of his hum made the experience even more delightful, she could almost hear him singing even with the absence of words. With her eyes shut and completely absorbed by the song she hadn't taken notice that it was happening again, the same strange phenomenon as last night, a light flurry of fluttering snowflakes began to fall.

  
Hans almost jumped at the first snowflake to land on his hand, but he managed, and continued on. When he glanced at Elsa, he couldn't help but smile at how absorbed she seemed to be. He was sort of glad that she didn't ask too many questions about that song. 

The third song was smaller, softer, more melancholy. Nervously, uncertainly, he took a breath. 

_"Who needs a dream?_

_Who needs ambition?_

_Who'd be the fool, in my position?_

_Once I had dreams,_ _Now they're obsessions._

 _Hopes became needs, lover's possessions."_

He sang softly but with feeling. His singing was beautiful, it had passion even at a low volume and sung shyly. He was someone who felt music, perhaps as much as Elsa did. He may not have been trained in singing, but he had a voice, and he had the training for the harp. He sang through a whole song of passion and uncertainty and the unexpected nature of life. 

_"But what's the point,_ _  
_

_if I'm concealing_

_not only love, all other feeling?"_

He knew the words by rote, perhaps he wasn't thinking about them. He stayed focused on the strings, and though the song was sad, it was warming, in its way. Melancholy could be a positive feeling, too. He only hoped Elsa felt that, too.

  
Elsa was surprised to hear his voice, her smile grew and her eyes flung open at the sound. She finally took note of the snowflakes, but paid them no mind, closing her eyes once again to better focus on the lyrics he was softly singing. It was certainly more melancholic, yet it was also quite beautiful and passionate, especially the way Hans recited it with his melodious voice. Once Hans finished the song, Elsa opened her eyes, and sat back up a bit. 

"That was lovely," she praised sweetly.

  
"You think so?" Hans was a little shy about it, but he smiled all the same. He suspected she would say the same if it wasn't lovely, but she wouldn't say it in the same way. She wouldn't say it with snow, either, unless it was true. He couldn't help but blush a little at the thought. "I do like a _bit_ more than just sea shanties." He admitted with an amused tone, as if to make light of his singing. It wasn't something he practiced often, but some things were natural. It was clear he was shy of being heard, too. As he had said, he picked an instrument to blend into the background. Elsa had to be something special, to prompt him to take center stage.

  
"Of course," she answered with a warm smile. "Though I think sea shanties can be quite lovely too," she proposed. She remembered the first song he sang to her. Elsa took a quick glance over her shoulder at the piano behind her, before she decided to turn her body towards it. She got a spontaneous urge to prove it. Elsa had gotten quite rusty at playing the piano, but she thought she could manage to play the simple tune, that she'd memorized by humming it so long ago. She hummed as she played the tune, because she'd yet to learn the lyrics to their entirety, the only verse that she really knew by heart was the one that started in _'My heart is pierced by Cupid'_.

  
Hans smiled at the memory, glad that Elsa believed him-- and perhaps a little sheepish that she remembered his singing so well. 

"You have a beautiful singing voice, yourself." He remarked softly. "You might put the sirens to shame." The songs seemed to draw parallels in their lives, he noticed. Concealing feelings and hearts pierced by cupid. He couldn't help but have a feeling about that. A feeling he tucked away, back inside his rib cage where it belonged. He would hold his tongue, as he did at home, to keep him from making a fool of himself.

  
Hans' comment made Elsa's ear burn red, it was easier for her to hide her shyness when she was still facing away from him. This had been the second time he'd compared her to a Siren, she wondered if that was meant to be a good thing, since he'd been unaffected by them, so she wasn't quite certain, but she took it as a compliment. Elsa looked over her shoulder back at Hans. 

"I'm sure the sirens are far better at remembering the lyrics," she commented. "I do wish to try to learn them all myself, though" she continued as she turned her whole body on the bench once more to face him again. "I would be grateful if you wrote them down for me sometime, it'd give me something to practice while I relearn to play the piano. I'm surprised I managed to remember how to play at all, it's been ages since I touched a piano."

  
"I'll write them down for you as soon as I return to my room, then." He assured, lightly. He hadn't been writing letters, but the material had been provided all the same, especially while Hans did paperwork for his actual job of training the Guard, or helping Elsa with her own paperwork. "Some things are difficult to unlearn, I find. It's been a while since I touched a harp, too. Though, I suspect longer for you. You have had the busier life." He wanted to step closer, but that seemed like the wrong thing to do.

  
"Thank you," she hummed, standing up from the bench. "I guess you never truly forget something like that, even if you _think_ you did, a part of you still remembers the _feeling_ , you just need to touch it again to elicit it." Elsa had taken a few steps toward the harp in front of her, so as she spoke she gently glided her fingers along all the harp strings (like people usually do across all the keys of the piano) just to hear the sound of all the strings being strummed in sequence. She had the temptation to touch the harp herself especially after seeing Hans' fingers fondle the strings so gracefully to create melodic music for her, she wanted to experience the sensation of strumming the strings against her own fingers. Of course with not knowing how to play she believed that the sound she managed to make with her gentle glide was nowhere as lovely as the ones he'd produced while actually playing, yet there was still a bit of that magical essence she thought a harp emitted.

Hans couldn't help but feel that there was something deeper to what she said, though he wasn't sure what exactly it was. 

"I imagine your magic feels the same." He mused, without thinking about it. His eyes watched her hands, and he seemed less than attentive as he let his thoughts drift.

  
"Hm? Feels the same to what? Similar to something you never really forget until you elicit it? I guess you could say that. When I first let it go again, with nothing holding me back, my powers came almost naturally." Elsa wondered if that's what he meant. She followed his gaze. "Or did you mean something else entirely? Something more abstract? Like you imagine my magic feels similar to something like... music?" She slid her fingers along the strings again. "I think that description wouldn't be far off either. Even though it's a bit hard to condense my powers into something completely comprehensible, I think that something like the euphonious sound of music does induce a similar sensation to the one of when I use my magic-- the good kind of magic at least. It's not an exact match, but still music is a lot like magic, I don't know how else to explain it but it kind of makes sense." She shrugged a little, admittedly not knowing exactly where she was going with that.

  
"The former, but yes. I imagine it does feel a bit like making music. It's strange, but I feel like I have a vague idea what magic would feel like. I suppose in the same way some of us have dreams of flying without ever having flown, some deeper instinct tells us what it should feel like, even if we have no idea?" He couldn't be sure, not could he properly describe it. "Music is a bit like magic, I suppose. From nothing we create emotions and feelings, and all we need is a flexible string or several, or a stick and a hollow thing to make a drum. Gregory would adore this conversation, likening music to magic. He's the real musician of the family." He deeply wanted to rest his hand at the small of her back and hold her. What was getting into him, that he kept having these sudden strange urges to do something unusual and familiar? Nothing outrageous, just to hold her. He wouldn't, obviously. He had no business touching the Queen. Only as she saw fit. He hoped he kept his wits about himself, lest he do something foolish.

  
Elsa smiled a little at Hans seeming to understand what she meant. "Yes, it's like emanating a manifestation of emotion. Music conveys it through mellifluous sound while magic transforms it into something more tangible," She said with a sparkle in her eyes. Elsa proceeded to create something with her magic. One of her hands swirled over the open palm of the other. She conjured a miniature horse figure that resembled Sitron, she showed and offered it to Hans. Elsa had certainly engrossed herself in the magic talk.

  
Hans smiled and picked up the little horse, if gingerly. Partly because of the fragile nature of ice, partly because he now knew by experience that it was a bad idea to grip ice for a prolonged period, thanks to his ice sword.

"I like your artistic side, it's cute." He remarked sweetly. "And I like seeing you get excited about your magic. It certainly is impressive."

  
That certainly flustered her, Anna was unquestionably the cute one, so being considered cute was new to her, easily making her blush a bit. The combination of all his compliments put her heart in a frenzy and was evidently reflected with the falling snow. 

"Thank you," she answered with a shy smile. Awkwardly shifting back a bit. "I forget how nice they can be sometimes, since I don't often get the chance to play around with them just for the fun of it. Though I really should do it more often, to test the limits of my powers, I still don't know everything that I'm fully capable of doing with them yet."

  
"You ought to, you look happy when you're using them." Hans observed, setting the ice horse back down just to preserve his hands, though he still looked at it with fondness. He wore the ice sword at his side, as it was traditional for an Isles man, but he was careful to avoid being near Anna in the halls. 

"If I had powers like yours, I think I would want to make a dragon. Or Gryphons, things that you'd never see in real life. When you have magic, why not use it to make the world a bit more magical?" He offered with a smile and a shrug. "Or, to start with, maybe a cat. Cats, horses, and dragons." He laughed a little at himself. He truly did like all of those things, as childish as perhaps it was.

  
Elsa laughed a little herself. She thought it was quite adorable. Not at all surprised that his adventurous heart would wish for things of legend like Dragons and Gryphons. Yet even with the mention of extraordinary magical creatures, for some strange reason that wasn't what had stuck out the most to her. 

"Hm. I don't think I've ever created a cat before," she mused with her pointer finger on her lips. And without further pondering she promptly constructed a life size sleeping snow kitten cradled in her arms. There was no doubt she was quite fond of animals, though she rarely interacted with them. "The only problem would be where to put your ice creations. If I could decorate the castle entirely with ice I probably would -- _have you seen my ice palace?_ \-- but I'm sure everybody else wouldn't appreciate a frozen castle, especially when they aren't unbothered by the cold like I am," she playfully reasoned. What held her back from creating, other than time constraints, was probably her consideration for others, she was sure the eternal winter probably didn't help warm people up to the idea of a forever frozen fixtures.

  
"I have, if you recall." Hans couldn't help but look down and grimace a little at the memory. "The first time you saw me with a sword drawn, I think." He mused. "We had a stirring conversation, and I think we've had that same conversation a few times, in a few different ways." He didn't think it was a bad thing, but one he found important. Perhaps a little serious. "Sounds like you need your own little icy island. Maybe your ice dragon could take you to the ice palace and your creations could live there. It _was_ beautiful. Still there, I imagine?" He hadn't seen it since he'd carried Elsa out of it-- and he thought it was better if he didn't think about that memory. It still hurt to think of all the betrayal he caused in those few days. He couldn't help but watch the kitten fondly. He did love cats. "Have you considered getting a live cat of your own?"

  
Of course she recalled, his words most of all, they were forever engraved in her memory, the last thing she remembered before it had all turned to black. She saw his grimace and didn't want to dwell on that again right now. 

"An icy island, I kinda like the sound of that. I might have to venture out and find one," Elsa considered it for a moment. "Still set on trying to sell me on the idea of creating an ice dragon I see," she giggled. "I wouldn't say live, because I would likely only be creating _normal_ ice sculptures. To be honest, I'm not comfortable with bringing my creations to life. I made Olaf sentient completely by accident. And the only creation I purposely brought to life was Marshmallow and you know...but even with him I still didn't really know what I was doing. It sort of just happened, willing him to life. Like I said before I don't know the full extent of my own powers," She sighed with a slight shrug, becoming serious and silent for a second. 

"And yes the Ice Palace still stands, at least last I checked." She looked down at the snow kitten she created and smiled. "As for ever considering getting a real cat, yes, I've pondered about having a feline friend many times. Have I decided whether or not it's wise? No. I still have to weigh the consequences. There's just a lot of things to consider; let's start with the arguments in favor. First of all, cats are absolutely adorable, soft and self-sufficient. They sound like a pretty perfect pet.

"The arguments against them though are a lot less about the cons of a cat and more about whether not I'm worthy of enough to have a cat. Like could I give it enough attention? I wouldn't want to get a cat and never have time for it. Would it even take a liking to me? Especially with I not being the warmest person in the world, I'd be very disappointed if it wouldn't let me touch it. Lastly, should I even take on another responsibility? As much as I'd love to have a cat, is it something I want to take on? I don't know, there's just so many variables," She shrugged. It was very much a battle between the emotional vs rational impacts of owning a cat. Of course she _wanted_ a cat, but her queenly side was seeping out asking if she could even handle it or even deserved one.

  
"You're a Queen, your responsibility to a cat is making sure the service staff likes it, it's not as if you'll be the one to take care of its litter." Hans pointed out dryly. "Truthfully, a cat will make sure you give it exactly as much attention as it wants. The real downsides to you are the hairs it leaves in your dress, and the claw marks it may leave in your clothes, furniture, and skin. I taught the ship's cat to jump up onto my shoulders, so my uniform looks almost as red as it does blue now, from the cat's fur. But it's worth it to me to have the big lug purring in my ear during downtime. I can't speak to the warmth, you may want to keep a hot water bottle on-hand to encourage a cat sitting on your lap. They go to warm places, but if you make friends with a cat, they are friends as long as the cat lives. Dogs stay because you feed them, cats stay because they like you." Hans wasn't much for dogs. He had little against them, but he just preferred cats.   
  
Hans was right she was Queen and other people would take care of the cat for her and maybe that was part of her problem with getting one the little involvement she most likely have with it. She'd feel responsible for bringing a cat to the castle than making other people deal with it most of the time, (not that she wanted to deal with its litter, but still) it just wouldn't really feel like _her_ cat. It was a bit silly to see things that way. Elsa sighed, taking a seat back down on the bench, placing her snowcat creation on her lap. Looking down at it warmly imagining what it would feel like if it were real.

"The purring does sound rather nice," she admitted. " But maybe I should get a dog instead. I don't think you're giving them enough credit. They have good qualities as well, like they are also really cute especially with their big eyes and wagging tails. Also they always seem so happy and I heard they are really loyal. Besides there's some dogs that don't mind the cold," she smiled a bit considering that option as well, but it quickly faded. "... or maybe just having an animal companion isn't for me."

  
"No, dogs certainly have their place. And if you _want_ an animal companion, there's no reason you shouldn't have one." He assured, gently. "Some cats don't mind the cold-- but some dogs _adore_ it. Some dogs also swim, that's what Newfoundland dogs are like. They even have webbed paws, which is a strange thing for a dog. I've heard they can be mistaken for bears from afar, but I've never met one in person." He shrugged. "If one is to have a dog, a big one seems like a good idea, in my book. But those are just my personal preferences, perhaps you prefer little rat-hunting dogs that pounce like foxes and chase after the voles, it's not mine to say." He shrugged. "They can certainly be cute. They still shed, though, and require regular baths. Cats at least will typically bathe themselves, for better or worse. But our castle never had pets either. We just kept royal stables and hunting hounds, no indoor 'pets'." No wonder he preferred a ship, he could keep a cat there.

  
She still disagreed about having one just because she wanted one, she couldn't easily ignore all the things she had to consider about having a pet in the first place.

"I don't think wanting one is enough reason to have one. Maybe in the future," she shrugged "I don't think I'm going to actively be looking for the perfect pet either, but if I someday come across one that completely captures my heart, I might reconsider in a heartbeat." Thinking about and rejecting the idea of a hypothetical animal companion was a lot easier than when an actual adorable living creature is in front of you and you can't resist the enchantment it imprinted on your heart.

  
"The best animals are the ones that find you, I find." Hans mused. Then he chuckled and cleared his throat. "But maybe that's just the _stray_ at your door speaking." He teased, referring to himself. He had been shooed away once, then came back yowling at her door for attention. Somehow, it seemed to have paid off. "You seem to have a soft spot for scraggly red tomcats, as history speaks." He suggested, entirely as a playful joke to get her to roll her eyes. He wasn't a self-described 'fool' for nothing.

"Perhaps," She let out a snort of suppressed laughter. One hand leaning against her forehead as she gently wagged her head with a downward gaze that almost made her eyes seem shut and a subtle smile on her lips. Her shoulders raised slightly. "Even scraggly red tomcats can make good companions." Maybe she indeed had a soft spot for red tomcats, with piercing green eyes and a playful nature, though scraggly probably wouldn't be one of the words Elsa would use to describe him.

  
Hans looked away and stifled a giggle, maybe blushing a little. "Ah, damn. I had a funny thought but it would be _very_ unprofessional for me to say it out loud." He admitted with a little sheepish shuffle. "I suppose I ought to keep that to myself."

  
Elsa lifted her gaze to look at him.

"Oh, now you've made me curious," she hummed with a tilt of her head. "But you're welcome to keep it yourself if you wish." She wouldn't _force_ him to be 'unprofessional'.

  
Hans grinned playfully. "I was going to say 'But I could purr for you too if you like'." He teased, giggling and cringing away like a kid expecting to be hit with a pillow-- or perhaps a snowball would have been more appropriate. It _was_ terribly unprofessional. It was downright _flirty_ , but he only meant it in a playful way. He was a fool, after all. "Perhaps it _is_ professional-- for a Queen's fool to be foolish." He suggested with a grin.

  
Elsa giggled with another shake of her head. "A fool I can handle, I don't know if I could say the same if you started acting like a cat. Please don't latch onto the idea as your new title or you might end up a stray," she teased.

  
Hans laughed a little and shook his head. "No... though cats and I do both do well on ships. Actually, that was what my ship was called. The _Conch Cat._ A conch cat is a type of cat with an extra toe, they're supposed to be lucky. With me as the thirteenth prince, we needed all the luck we could get. Have I told you all that before?" He wondered if he wrote that, or if that writing had been something for himself, or one of his scrapped copies.

  
"Yes, you've told me about the meaning behind your ship's name before," she assured with a nod. "I think back when you were telling me a story about the pirates you faced. I think it was also when you first mentioned a big red cat that resembled you."

  
"Well, his fur color resembled me. He's probably a lot more surly, but loving when you're warm enough." He assured, with a fond smile. "I do miss having a cat about. Perhaps when I've settled somewhere I'll get one." It was a nice thought. He didn't fancy being alone, and he didn't think he would be living with another person.

  
Elsa would have loved to meet that curious ship cat Hans remembered so fondly. She smiled, but remained silent, looking back down at her lap, as she lost herself in thought. She was still a bit distraught about the idea of Hans settling somewhere outside the castle walls. Perhaps it was becoming about time for their tea time to conclude.

  
Hans sensed the rift in the room, and let the silence linger a moment. 

"I'm in no hurry to move, of course." He assured softly, after a moment. Maybe it was wrong of him to suspect, but he thought for a moment that _that_ might be the cause of the silence. "Ah, I shouldn't take up your whole day, I suppose. Much as I enjoy your company." It was so strange to be the one _leaving._ He felt like it was wrong, like he shouldn't be doing that. It seemed impolite. He waited to be excused all the same. He was a prince, and taught to follow the crown's lead. Still, he couldn't help but be a little anxious himself, that perhaps he was doing the wrong thing, still.

  
"Oh, right," she said as she snapped out of her daze. Disintegrating the snow kitten on her lap into a sparkling flurry as she stood up, rubbing her hands against her skirt of her dress as if to straighten it. "I have paperwork to get back to before dinner." 

"Thank you once again for joining me for tea. Your harp playing was lovely, I appreciate you playing for me," she acknowledged. "Perhaps, we can do this again sometime."

  
Hans nodded politely. "Gladly, I enjoyed playing for you. And maybe if I finish writing those lyrics for you, I'll have the chance to hear you sing again?" He proposed with a little smile. He did like to hear her sing. Her voice was beautiful. He tucked his hands behind his back, shifting into the behavior of a servant rather than a prince. The Guardsman rather than the Fool or the Prisoner. 

"Have a good evening, your Majesty." He took her thanks and invitation as a sign he should leave, so he gave a polite bow and retreated. It was hard to say where or why he had picked up service habits. Part of his mirroring, perhaps?

A shy smile crossed Elsa's lips at his proposal. 

"Only if you accompany me on the harp," she called out, before a softer farewell. "Good evening, Hans." Elsa began to leave as well, thinking that it had been a rather odd tea time, not that it was necessarily a bad thing, far more interesting than her solitary ones, just a bit of the typical awkwardness that was bound to happen when they were together.


End file.
